aaron ellringer

fair

Sunday, February 1st, 2009 | other | No Comments

My dad has pounded “fairness” into my head since I was a small boy. “whoever told you life was fair?” and “fair is something that happens once a year” (as in the “county fair” or the “state fair” of course, the homonym) And I’ve always known that life isn’t fair. But that doesn’t stop me from keeping fairness as a life goal and working toward it whenever I can. So in looking at my appointment with the Chippewa County jail next week, I ponder fair. I could engage in a fair bit of whining about how life isn’t fair to me. I’ll spare you. I do have a hard time explaining my thoughts on my situation to folks. This fella, Will Potter, comes close here, in responding to someone suggesting that “eco-terrorists” deserve their lot :

“I’ve never said that the actions you listed aren’t crimes, and I also haven’t said that the problem here is those activists going to prison for their crimes. The problem is that the government is singling out one group of people for much, much harsher treatment than others who commit the same crimes, and it’s politically motivated.

Bigger than that, though, the true danger of all this “terrorism” rhetoric is that it’s having a chilling effect, and making people afraid to use their First Amendment rights. Regardless of how you feel about illegal tactics, or environmentalism, that should be a concern to everyone.”