A Glimpse Inside The Conservative Mind

Old fart that I am, I still subscribe to the Columbus Dispatch, out of habit, I suppose.  I rarely linger over the Letters to the Editor, because they are routinely awful.  But one grabbed my eye yesterday.  It was one of the more disjointed, stupid and loathsome letters ever published by Dispatch.  Naturally, they made it their lead letter of the day -- top of the page with a big headline.

The writer was one Carmen Sauer, and the headline was "Newly Released Inmates Will Need Jobs."

The topic was the phased early release of up to 46,000 eligible federal prisoners jailed for non-violent drug offenses.  (We love to punish and incarcerate here in the U.S., and our prison overcrowding problem has been exacerbated by ill-advised legislation like mandatory sentencing and 3-strikes laws.  The early release program is a drop in the bucket, but it will offer some relief.)  So far, 13,000 convicts have been approved for early release.  The first group of 6000 will be released at the end of this month, fewer than 100 in Ohio.

Carmen Sauer doesn't like any of this, calling it the "let's be nice to convicted drug users" program.  Carmen doesn't believe drug users deserve nice, preferring the "let's be mean and hateful" option.

Carmen complains that "the media has bought [the idea] that everyone arrested and convicted today is the product of a troubled, impoverished upbringing."  This off-base comment is intended to show the writer's get-tough mentality.  It is utterly beside the point, but what was Carmen expecting?  Prisons filled with trust fund babies?  Most prisoners are, of course, troubled and impoverished.

"How can college graduates compete when the government offers incentives and tax breaks  for companies that hire ex-convicts?"   Does Carmen really believe that college grads and ex-cons compete on a level playing field for the same jobs?  Can the ex-con match the college grad in the education, training and experience needed for the position?  No?  Then advantage college grad, regardless of any small tax break.

Carmen is curious about "How many of the children of the soon-to-be-released also have rap sheets?  How many are high school grads?  Have jobs?  Are on government assistance?"  What the hell does this have to do with the issue?  Is Carmen suggesting that all their kids are drug-dealing criminals on the dole?  There's more than a little thinly-veiled racism operating here.

Yes, newly released inmates will need jobs.  Just about all inmates will be released eventually, and almost all will need jobs.  What's your point, Carmen?  Don't hire ex-cons?  Don't release them?  Lock 'em up and throw away the key?

You sure your name isn't Carmen Sour?

With Carmen's letter, the Dispatch has offered us a glimpse inside the conservative mind.  It's small, dark and cold, and there's not much in there.