Thank you, Saddam. However, I am still going to shamelessly throw a few more thoughts into the ring.

1. For everyone that thinks that crime in America is going up. Yes, it probably is. This, however, is because the bozos running our country keep making more laws. Almost everyone is a criminal these days if you get right down to it. Maybe the answer isn't in the creation of new laws, but in the enforcement of the old laws?

2. Guns don't kill people. People kill people. Now to explain that trite, cliche little statement. Yes, yes, I know that eliminating guns completely would eleminate the problem of gun violence, but the complete elimination of guns is a very unrealistic hope. Personally, it breaks my heart that people in general are so obsessed with killing machines. If we're not killing other people, we're killing animals or the environment. I would love it if EVERYONE believed in all that "love thy neighbor" bs, but that is soomething else that is unrealistic. I admit freely that I don't love everyone, and there are some people who I would shed no tears for if they ceased to exist. However, something that IS realistic is justly punishing EVERYONE that is convicted of a crime. The biggest problem with the American justice system is that they keep trying to reform everyone. Mostly, though, they only succeed in reforming criminals into bigger, tougher badasses than they were before. Oh, some people do reform, but most people don't, and even if someone does become a reformed, upstanding citezen after murdering or raping someone else, it doesn't negate the fact that they committed a crime and should be punished for it. 25 years should mean 25 years, but now it means 7 or 12 or some other ridiculously low number. Life should mean LIFE. If someone is reformed after 10 years of a 20-year sentence, they should still be reformed (and maybe even more reformed) after finishing out the rest of their time. If they aren't reformed, that's 10 years longer that they won't be out on the streets committing more and maybe worse crimes.

3. Now for something I've always wondered about: why is it that someone who embezzles $300,000 spends more time in jail than a murderer or rapist? Is money really that important in today's society? Hackers and phreaks also spend an exceedingly long time in jail compared to killers. What's with that? Is the entire world just crazy?!?!?!

Peace--Bridget