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ORIGINAL: erieangel
LA Chief Deputy City Atty. Carter has said the city won't press charges if OWS protesters enroll in, and pay the $355 to a private company, for a free speech class. 

There we have it, the privatization of our criminal justice system.

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ORIGINAL: DaddySatyr
This is very scary, indeed. This judge had better hope that no one that works for him every worked for this company and vice-versa. This smacks of the potential for payola.

Whether there's any actual wrong doing or not, I don't like this idea. I mean, it's a stretch, obviously, but didn't Hitler force people to join the Nazi party by threat of jail? Can you imagine: "Okay. You've been ticketed for spedding twenty miles an hour over the speed limit. Just donate $250 to the Catholic church and we'll forget the whole thing"?

I'm being a bit extreme to make a point but forget who got arrested and for what; does this scare anyone besides me? The potential; for bastardization of how many of our core ideals is very real, here.
Watching is Brother Big.
Peace and comfort,
Michael

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ORIGINAL: Hillwilliam
There is a judge here who has no financial stake in "Crossroads" which is the local 'probation class' His wife owns it.

Corrupt much?

Dont forget the judge in PA who was finally disbarred for accepting kickbacks from juvenile 'boot camps'.

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ORIGINAL: Owner59

I`m not sure if the prosecutors know who they are dealing with.These aren`t your run of the mill average citizens and nothing like the comfort-seeking tea-bagger wanna-bes.

They are going to do the least easy thing for themselves and the most expensive thing for the state.Not sure if Carter knows what public disobedience means.



I predict few will take him up on the offer.

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But would you rather get time in jail and it put on your record?

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ORIGINAL: Arpig

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But would you rather get time in jail and it put on your record?

Yes. Wouldn't you? If you believe in something, why would you be afraid to have it noted that you do?

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ORIGINAL: Lucylastic
It sounds like a money making prospect from greedy lawyers wanting a sure thing...re education...YOU WILL ASSIMILATE
I think not

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ORIGINAL: tj444

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ORIGINAL: Lucylastic
It sounds like a money making prospect from greedy lawyers wanting a sure thing...re education...YOU WILL ASSIMILATE
I think not

Few classes are taught by lawyers. Me thinks going to trial makes lawyers many more buck$$$$..

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ORIGINAL: Arpig

Not everybody is a coward Willbe, there some of us who are not afraid to take a stand. And the only thing clueless about the OWS protesters is that they thought that their protest could be non-violent. The writing is on the wall for the present system, its just a matter of time and a question of how much blood will have to be shed.

I don't know how long the process will take, but it is already ongoing and gathering strength, the OWS is not the beginning, it is just one more manifestation of the growing discontent.

I don't know how many will die in the process or what will come after, to a large degree that is up to those presently holding the power, it is their reactions that will dictate just how radical the changes will be. Think of the monarchies in Europe. In those countries where the kings fought tooth and nail against change there are no kings. In the countries where they were willing to compromise, they still sit on their thrones.

The present system is not the first international plutocracy to have existed, nor is it the first to run afoul of the aspirations of the common people. And it won't be the first plutocracy to fall either. The revolution has begun, anybody with a knowledge and understanding of world history can see that, the signs are there, plain to see. Now we just have to wait and see what ideology harnesses the anger and discontent. I think that the governments, and the corporations that own them, have made a major strategic error in suppressing rather than engaging the OWS protesters. They started out a very reasonable group with some very reasonable beefs, and reasonable demands. By engaging them seriously and making a few cosmetic concessions they could have disarmed the movement, but by resorting to a physical response way out of proportion to the immediate threat, they have done the opposite, they have advanced the cause of revolution substantially.

The fact that the authorities did react with such naked force is proof that the OWS are not a negligible fringe, the authorities recognized that and reacted the way authorities have always reacted when directly threatened...with force. They hold the monopoly on that, just as Nicholas II did. It didn't help him, and in the end it won't help the present rulers either. The present international capitalist system is dying, it is on its way out. The sooner those in power under this system realize this and begin to compromise, the more of the present system will survive.

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ORIGINAL: Hillwilliam
Not if the lawyers own the schools. A few sweetheart deals with a judge or two would make it a lot more profitable than courtroom time. I'm not saying that diversion for first time offenders isn't an excellent idea but this smacks of "Reeducation Camps" that are so popular in totalitarian countries.