So this one's gonna be kinda rantish, but it effects me directly, and has me thinking quite a bit.
September 10th- 7:00 am. Heading down highway 46, on my way to Cuesta College to take the ACT. I'm running late. I start to slow for the 101 entrance, and then... boom. Sirens and flashing lights in my rear view mirror.. pulled over. At first I didn't even think it was for me- I couldn't think of anything I had done worth getting pulled over for. So it went: "Hey officer, whats the problem"? "Blah blah blah 74 in a 65.." I couldn't believe it. I was getting a ticket for going 9 miles an hour over the speed limit. Seriously?
Not even a month prior, my neighbor- a bond hair, blue eyed woman, 40 something, got off with a warning (from the same officer) for going 80 mph on the same road.. But that's a whole other issue I'm not even going to bother carrying on about. It speaks for itself.
What really got me thinking was the question of where was my money even going? And for what purpose? Why penalize the student who's on his way to take a test? Why not spend that same energy busting a meth lab somewhere? Or gaining a lead on one of the seven armed robberies that have occurred in Paso this year? Then i realized why.. because it was easy. The city draws revenue from infractions and misdemeanors, and from "wine country tourism". No money is made when a gang member is arrested, or when publishing crime damages the city's reputation among wine-snobs.
So I am now supposed to pay a fine of three-hundred and thirteen dollars. Man, its a good thing I have a college book fund to pull that from.... and I hope to god that no single parent has to rush on their way to a second job or anything like that- how is someone in that sort of situation supposed to be able to sacrifice 300 bucks and a day off of work to go to court? I fail to see our authorities looking out for the true common good.
And what will my money be spent on? Will it be on a construction project, or on improving roads? Will it be spent on a teacher's salary? Or will it be on something else.. Will it go straight into some fat-cat congressman's retirement? A crate of ammunition to be shipped to Iraq? A bomb to Libya?
Our society's real problems are simply not being addressed by the authority's current policies.
Bummer im sorry that happened! thats such a bummer! no fun. I know you said its for another topic, but thats so frustrating that they would not give that lady a ticket and then gave you one! And i agree with you, our society really isn't focusing on the real problems, sometimes it just like they are trying to make money for their own benefit. I like how you called it "hard rain falling", very creative.
ReplyDeleteYeah...true dat. Two things come to mind when I read this actually. One is that it's not cool that you were targeted, particularly because like you said they could've spent their time, energy, and money someplace else. Honestly I think the government peoples in general don't trust teens...easy target because they think of us as irresponsible and immature and stuff of that nature. The other thing that comes to mind though is that you did break the law. I mean it was kind of prejudice on their part, but they were right. They're just being right in kind of a meanish way. I mean you deserved it, but a lot of other people who get let off deserve it too...it's hypocritical really, isn't it. Silly government.
ReplyDeleteAh man thats not cool. That point about single parents and people with not much money or time to spare was really good. I totally agree, government likes to enforce justice only when it suits for the situation. The government should realize that inconsistency and partiality will make problems for it in the future. I feel that we as citizens have a right to know where our money is going to. Great job. We have very similar political views in my opinion.
ReplyDelete