Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
Laugh at this story if you want (I did), but basically, this is why America will probably be okay:
Really, how many times do we have to say this? If your drug dealer shorts you, steals your money, or provides a substance other than the illegal one sought, do not call 911.
Suzanne Basham, 47, made that mistake yesterday morning when she dialed police in Springfield, Missouri to report that she had paid $40 for crack cocaine that turned out to be sugar.
Basham, who was not seeking a sugar high, asked cops to arrest her dealer for theft (and, of course, secure a refund for her).
Suzanne Basham is obviously not a model citizen. But let's applaud her touching faith in the underpinning values of the justice system and her intuitive understanding of the notion of "oral contract."
I'm actually almost serious. When even the crackheads understand this (at some primitive level), you've got quite the impressive tradition of rule of law.
Think of everything she believes--despite being a crackhead--about the society she lives in:
- When you have a dispute, you shouldn't settle it by violence. Instead, you should call the police.
- If you call 911, the police will arrive promptly.
- The police can be trusted.
- Stealing is illegal.
- Fraud is illegal.
- The justice system rectifies wrongs, and may be trusted to do so promptly.
It puts you way ahead of the game when these are the default social assumptions.
Now, of course, she's a bit confused on the application of these principles, but she's starting from the right place. That's not nothing.
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Comments :
Oct '10
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
Well, she's certainly up with the modern trend that private disputes between individuals over contracts should be nationalised and criminalised, rather than pursued in civil court.
Mar '11
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
That is why I love reading your posts, Claire.
On a site where sometimes people argue whether the American glass is half full or half empty, you cut right to the chase and correctly pronounce the glass not broken, and as soon as we find something to drink, some ice maybe, a mixer or two perhaps, we'll be good to go.
A week back, Peter had a post asking if America is in decline. I responded in the negative, a few people pointed out some of our legitimate problems, but before I could respond, life intervened. By the time I got back, Duane Oyen and flownover had said it just about as well as it could be said.
Ms. Basham is a drug-addled twit, but she's an American drug-addled twit. Somewhere in there is the vaguest notion of how civilization is supposed to work and as long as we still have that, we are still the team to beat.
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
Percival:
Ms. Basham is a drug-addled twit, but she's an American drug-addled twit.
Exactly. God bless America.
Dec '11
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
It is certainly nice to hear.
Oct '10
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
An ex-pat's perspective, especially when the ex-pat is immersed in a very alien culture, is valuable for just this sort of observation (not to discount Claire's perceptive nature).
If the exceptional-ism of the U.S.were apparent to its citizens, conservatism would be this county's default political setting even for the young. I'm thinking we should all send our teenagers to stay at Claires for a few weeks. Recalibrate their appreciation of America.
Edit: Countries, D'oh!
Edited on Jan 12 at 4:04pmMay '11
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
Um, could it be that she was just siccing the cops on a drug dealer in revenge for not supplying her properly? I'm sure the drug dealer doesn't like the attention. Perhaps her logic is less in the rule of law and the sanctity of a contract or adherence to the Uniform Commercial Code, and more that the dealer will be in jail. She reached out and controlled his fate to a degree. I think that is more her motive.
Jan '11
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
Isn't this is an Eye of the Beholder perspective? The law, such as it is, was the only recourse left to this very frustrated woman. If she were a man the redress of Ms.Basham's grievance might have taken a different turn, i.e., appeal via the baseball bat tactic. If this is to be taken as a reaffirmation that the social compact works, well, yes, I can see that at the end of the incident, but not the beginning - she broke the law. And, certainly, delusion played a role. Anyone who has lived in this world for 47 years should have known better.
Nov '10
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
What was she thinking, calling the cops???
Obviously, she should have called the Better Business Bureau.
May '10
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
the Midwestern address may be a key part of the equation.
May '10
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
As IF stupid people don't occupy the coasts? I'll see your Nanny Bloomberg, your Jerry Brown and raise you a Scott Walker and a Mitch Daniels!
Midwestern address! HA!
Apr '11
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
One of my pet peeves is the constant use in the media of the word "alleged" when discussing someone charged with a crime. We have "alleged" terrorists who are caught in the act. Now we have a story without the word. He is simply a drug dealer. The only evidence is that he passes off sugar as crack cocaine. I would have been okay with the "alleged" as a qualifier in this story.
Jul '10
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
Winning.
Dec '10
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
"I don't sell crack; I'm a prostitute." Kind of semantic argument, in my humble opinion.
Apr '11
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
Ah...really in a way that honesty is refreshing. I mean as long as everyone knows who and what they are and are doing there is some hope of trying to straighten them out.
Dec '10
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
Well gosh Aunt Claire, crack heads are just another oppressed minority "culture". You know like the embezzelers and the murderers. Boy you really just aren't very sensitive. And why can't I play with my trains all night. And I want the really big chocolate bar for dinner and for lunch and for breakfast and for..............huh, no I don't want to go to sleep now, hey that's not fair you're bigger then me...waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!
Jul '10
Re: Do We Have a Touching Faith in Our Legal System or What?
James Gawron