REPLACEMENT VALUE
It’s July 19th, 2004, 9:50AM. Last Friday, Martha Stewart was sentenced–five
months in jail; five months house arrest. She, of course, is going to
appeal. Every day she can stay out of jail by using the appeal process is ‘a
good thing.’ While I watched Martha on camera after the sentencing, I
couldn’t help but feel that this punishment didn’t fit the crime. On the same
day, it was reported that my boyhood idol, Bobby Fischer, was taken into
custody and was awaiting extradition to the U.S. for playing an ‘illegal’ game
of chess in Yugoslavia in 1992. (Apparently, the U.S. had sanctions against
Yugoslavia and Americans were not allowed to have interactions with anyone or
anything from the country.) The most celebrated homemaker in the world is
going to jail and the only American World Chess Champion is being locked up
for playing a game of chess? Have we gone mad?
I know 9/11 freaked us out, but is the solution to lock up everyone? Was it
explained to Martha before she was asked the questions to which she reportedly
lied that she would do hard time if she lied? O.J. doesn’t spend a day in
jail, and Martha we lock up? Pre-9/11 justice does not equate to post-9/11
justice. I know we are all scared, but we can’t just be locking people up for
littering or jay-walking. Our freedom is our life. Take away a man’s freedom
and you might as well dig a six foot hole for him to jump into. We
have to force the pendulum back on our justice system before you get locked up
for spitting out your gum.
In my line of work I do a lot of appraisals to determine the replacement value
of a piece of jewelry in case it is lost or stolen. I know, instinctively,
that everything has a ‘replacement value.’ When I was a kid, my Dad used to
tell me, ‘Don’t get cocky! Remember, everyone is replaceable. The minute you
think you’re not’¦BAM! You’ll be replaced.’ I see people and magazines lining
up to fill the void Martha’s absence will create. I can’t turn on the
television without hearing whose going to be ‘the next Martha.’ Everyone and
everything is replaceable? While I know in my head this is true, I don’t
believe it in my heart to be so; and until we all stop believing it, the
pendulum of justice won’t swing back.
Here’s a link to August’s Article of the Month. Ladies Diamond Wedding Band
Fred
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