Judging others by a different standard than we judge ourselves is how hypocrisy is born.
I think about the elected and appointed officials who take office espousing a particular ideology or purpose, only to turn around and do exactly the same thing they complained about in their campaigns. Or the preachers who berate sexual sin only to get caught in their own (literal) beds of iniquity. Or the self-righteous adults who point fingers at the foolish actions of the younger generation while forgetting all the dumb, reckless things they did in their own youth.
Point in fact: the vitriolic reaction to the sentencing of the young man who shot the buck in town last fall. Was it a horrible thing to do? Yes. Was it a dumb move? No question. Was it reckless? Yes. Was it foolish? Absolutely.
Does he deserve to go to prison for it? Some have said they believe that would be appropriate. I think that’s (no pun intended) overkill.
From what I understand in this particular instance, the young man was at a party and did something stupid, without thinking about the possible consequences.
If you can look back at your youth and say you never did anything stupid you’ve since regretted, you’re either lying or you’ve lost your memory. Most of us just didn’t get caught. That doesn’t make it right. Would a prison term have made us better people? Probably not.
Given the fact America incarcerates more of its own citizens than any other nation in the world, I’d venture to say the “toss ‘em in the clink” mindset has been less effective for preventing bad behavior than we like to imagine.
As someone has said, whenever we’re pointing a finger at someone else, there are three pointing right back at us.
I’m loaded up on allergy meds and have been since the trees in my yard bloomed last Friday, so my inspiration level is at an all time low this week. For all the rest of you who are also being attacked by plant pollen, I feel your pain.
Congratulations to the Rangely High School Class of 2018. Whatever you decide to do, wherever the future takes you, stay true to yourselves.
