Quote:
Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Now, for a real dialog on the same topic.
Atticus's brother-in-law, driving with family up 101 on the Central Coast: "Hon, check that sign out. 'Pleasant Valley Prison, 25 miles.' Can't be too pleasant, can it, har har har."
Atticus's five-year-old niece, from back seat: "Daddy, what's a prison?"
BIL (thinking quickly): "Um, it's a big building where people who've done something bad have to live."
Niece (pensive): "If I do something bad, will I go to live in a prison?"
BIL (panicking): "No, sweetie. Only people who do something really bad have to live in a prison."
[Ten second silence.]
Niece: "Like pinching?"
[Scene.]
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That's sweet.
did you explain to her that the "Bad things" were more like stealing or murder? did you explain that many people don't have the extended family support she had, even within the confines of the European auto you were all in, driving to some pleasant seaside restaurant?
Did you tell her that many of the thieves were stealing to buy necessities, or to support drug habits?
Does she now kknow the inequities of a world where some must steal to eat, while others are ruining Tuxedos at fancy dress balls, and drinking Chanpaign grown for the profit of some overseas conglomerate?
Does she know the murderers might have killed in a spate of domestic violence brought on by lack of money?
Atticus, does she know that Hank Chinaski is on the docket to be sentenced for his guilty plea to having diverted some client funds last month so that his daughter could have 1/3 the xmas your niece experienced?
