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It was a routine e-mail from the boss sent to congratulate a junior prosecutor in Houston, Tex., who had won manslaughter convictions against an intoxicated driver.
"He convicted Mr. Sosa of a double intoxication manslaughter, got a weak jury to give him 12 years in each, and then convinced Judge Wallace to stack the sentences," Harris County assistant district attorney Mike Trent wrote in an office-wide memo. Then came the odd part: "He overcame a subversively good defence by Matt Hennessey that had some Canadians on the jury feeling sorry for the defendant and forced them to do the right thing."
The e-mail was sent in 2003 but came to light only this month as part of an unrelated controversy with his office, forcing Mr. Trent to defend himself against accusations of bigotry -- not because he offended the people of Canada, but because "Canadian" has apparently become a code word for blacks among American racists.
"He convicted Mr. Sosa of a double intoxication manslaughter, got a weak jury to give him 12 years in each, and then convinced Judge Wallace to stack the sentences," Harris County assistant district attorney Mike Trent wrote in an office-wide memo. Then came the odd part: "He overcame a subversively good defence by Matt Hennessey that had some Canadians on the jury feeling sorry for the defendant and forced them to do the right thing."
The e-mail was sent in 2003 but came to light only this month as part of an unrelated controversy with his office, forcing Mr. Trent to defend himself against accusations of bigotry -- not because he offended the people of Canada, but because "Canadian" has apparently become a code word for blacks among American racists.
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You make an implicit assumption that it's in jeopardy. As bad as things are, humans have greater tolerance, opportunity, and compassion than any time other time in their history. The nature of humanity too complicated to be summed up as either "good" or "evil". Any real power to create can also be used to destroy, and that make humans simultaneously the most destructive and most beneficial force on Earth.
But, if you want a small counter example to Homo sapiens' degeneracy:
Priorities.
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I was going to respond to Sig's post, but cannot improve on your reply.
While I breathe, I Hope.
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Since I was viewing the exhibit with my Canadian relatives, I was a bit embarrassed and puzzled, but now I'm starting to wonder if it was code...*sigh*
Stupid rednecks.