I would like to bring to your attention a disturbing story about espionage and our justice system. Please read it here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110508/ap_on_re_us/us_stealing_for_china_the_networker.
Does that not make you mad? It should. The criminals in that story have betrayed our nation, and, yet, none of them will serve more than six years in prison. Six years!!!!!!
This sort of treatment for well-connected and well-financed individuals burns me up. First, there is the fact that justice (in my opinion) is about balance (specifically, the balancing of the crimes against the punishments). I fail to see how six years in prison is a just punishment for espionage when pot-dealers have been imprisoned for 25 years. Does this seem inequitable to anyone besides me?
Another troubling aspect of this case is that it does not send a good message to other would-be spies. This case has set a precedent: get convicted of espionage, rat on the people providing you with the cash or the info, and then serve a few years in a prison that allows you to teach tennis to your inmates (and get paid for it). How much of a deterrent is that?
I believe that our justice system works much of the time. But, our judges and lawyers dropped the ball on that espionage case. I just hope they don't do it again.
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