A rant in three acts

Whew! I managed to escape jury duty last week. After several check-ins, I guess everybody decided to use trial by ordeal or military tribunal or some such.

Also, primary election day here in the cash-strapped Land of Lincoln-we're weeding out the candidates for governor, Senator, Representative, and a pile of local offices. I went Republican-I'm center-right in my thinking. But here in Illinois, both parties are corrupt as the day is long so I reckon it doesn't matter who gets the nod. The county I live in is pretty solidly Democratic, to the point where the Republican Party doesn't even run a candidate for many local and state offices. Actually there have been offices that have passed from father to son, so I guess I live in a parliamentary oligarchy or some such. I did get a laugh from the ads of Adam Andrzejewski, gubernatorial candidate. He said 'If I get elected, I'll rule by executive order, bypassing the Legislature.'

Okay, Emperor Palpatine-whatever. Have a seat, champ. And no coffee for you. Coffee is for closers.

I don't know. What I do know is that the State is $9 billion in the hole. We need to figure out how to not hemhorrage jobs and keep the elected officials out of the cookie jar, which is by now empty.

Finally, the cherry on the top of the banana split. Seems my church has a gentleman interested in joining, which would be OK were he not a registered sex offender. We have a child-protection policy in place, which states that should a known offender attend services, he or she requires a 'mentor' (read 'escort') to make sure he stays in the pews and not wander about looking for trouble. This worthy had a problem with fondling little girls. Seems he was let out early because one of the states, Illinois or Iowa, had an early release program since we can't afford to keep them locked away. Nice.

So let me see-there were absolutely no forgers, embezzlers, hackers, or small-timers to be released? We had to release child molesters? Really?!? If Governors Culver or Quinn, the legislators, or the bureaucrat in charge thinks this is a good idea, then Governors Culver or Quinn, the legislators, or the bureaucrat in charge should take this guy in to their home. He can stay with them. Possibly the early release thing would lose its allure were that policy instituted.

At any rate, I was asked-with the strict proviso that it only be twice-if I'd 'mentor' this guy.

Gee, I can't think of anything else I'd rather do. I don't have to forgive the man-if his victims did, that's their business-and if it were up to me, he'd be back in Anamosa or Fort Madison trying to figure out how to avoid being cornholed and/or shanked by the other inmates. I sure as hell have no desire to be his friend.

However, occasionally there do arise tasks that need to be done, no matter how distasteful they are. If he shows up, I'll follow him and play prison guard. Theoretically, we're in the business of giving second chances to those who fell. As a practical matter, he made a lot of people's lives miserable. There are sins, and there are sins-sorry, but that's how it is. A lot of things are forgivable. Preying on the weak, helpless, and kids-that's way low in my book.

Perhaps he'll do us a favor and not show up. Any bigger favor, like his falling in a hole, is probably up to the Almighty.

It's never dull.

yankeedog out.