As I read about Ken Lay‘s death, I remembered an old cliche — that it is harder for White collar criminals to deal with being caught than it is for — well, what would you call non-white collar crimes? We wouldn’t say Blue-collar and boy is it presumptuous to say violent criminals. One thing is clear, it makes for a different kind of drama.
I tend to view the world in a more, shall we say, ‘equitable’ way — that there should be equal punishment, though I also strongly believe that we as a nation should put our efforts into reform rather than straight-up punishment. What do people think about this one? Is it harder for the Ken Lays to serve 20 years than for John Doe who robbed a bank?
I have always had a problem with hierarchies to begin with, so take away the hierarchy, and the white collar criminals won’t feel that archangel fall. I bring this up because I immediately thought that this process has most certainly taken a toll on Mr. Lay, and I feel some sympathy for the stress he must have undergone. We all screw up. But that’s one hell of a way to screw up — and to add immense stress to others’ lives. I wonder if the stress of losing one’s retirement savings has so adversely affected the health of any victims of the crime?
The Connecticutian 