I didn’t think I would ever praise Charles Koch (photo at right) . It seemed to me that the American billionaire stands for everything I despise. He and his brother David have devoted themselves and their deep pockets to supporting the worst in American politics.
But I suppose even the Kochs might not be all bad.
In an interview with the Wichita Eagle, Charles Koch has pledged to throw his muscle and his money behind a crusade to reform America’s criminal justice system.
If ever a system needed reforming, the pathetic farce that we call American justice does.
Time and again, we are presented with flagrant miscarriages of justice. I’m sure you can think of examples. The unpunished police murders of unarmed black men springs to mind.
Then there are cases like the one in Florida, in which an abused black woman was sentenced to 20 years in prison for firing a warning shot in hopes of avoiding another beating from her husband. That case sparked a national outcry, especially as it coincided with George Zimmerman’s acquittal.
There was another recent Florida case in which a father was given lengthy jail time for shooting into a wall to scare his daughter’s abusive boyfriend, who was refusing to move out of their home.
As things stand in Florida, you’re better off “standing your ground” and killing an assailant than you are trying to scare them off with a warning shot.
There are far too many stories, too many statistics, to cite in a blog. But I am sure you are as aware of the grossly unfair situation as I am.
I suspect Charles Koch’s concept of justice might be quite different from mine. One of his pet peeves was an environmental case the Texas state government brought against his oil company.
But I am prepared to give the guy the benefit of the doubt.
I will be paying close attention as the mighty Kochs take on the massive American justice system. It should be fun to watch.
