"Understanding" and "compassion", at least in my book, does not mean the punishment should be LESS.
Missizzy understands and has compassion for her son, and therefore, can extend that compassion to other severely disturbed people. I don't see her calling the bad behavior "OK" simply because she also sees the societal dilemma beneath it.
I think our judicial system errs a lot on the side of mitigating circumstances when it comes to sentencing time. Too much of the time, in my opinion.
But I'd rather live in a society that errs on the side of mercy, overall. Letting pedos and pervs and murderers go with a slap on the wrist is the price we pay for a more merciful world. I don't like it, I think it needs MUCH work, there are crimes that "mercy" should not apply to. Brain damaging a young girl for life is one of them. I too see the boy's dilemma, that in many ways he is a victim, too, but at the same time I do NOT want him freed after a couple of years in juvie. He's demonstrated how he deals with his rage and pain, and he's not likely to change BECAUSE his wiring is damaged.
Victims who are so destructive have made themselves a place along with the perps. The victim card should be forfeit when you, in your rage and pain, reach out and destroy another person's life. It should not mitigate your sentence.
The mothers who turn up the music while the boy friend beats her child chose to do that to protect HERSELF. Domestic violence does that to a person. If you haven't been in an abusive relationship it is very, very hard to understand. I have, and have selfishly chosen destructive choices to save my
from more abuse. I know what it's like to do that. But I consider myself JUST as guilty as if I were a natural creep. My "victim card" means squat to me, and so everyone else's does too. Abused mothers, abused children, whoever, should not be exempt from suffering the consequences of their behavior. Ever. How else will people LEARN, if we are excusing them from the price of their behavior? We are robbing them of the only thing that will teach them to make BETTER choices.
And if they can't make better choices, because they are so damaged, then it's sad but lock them up so they can't breed or destroy another person's life. It's a cruel world.
