I am 21, I don’t have any sort of criminal record, I work, I love the outdoors and Southeast Alaska. The reason I am writing you is because yesterday and today (May 1 and May 2) have been pretty rough for me. I guess you could say it begins with police and ends with our corrupt system and society.
Tuesday, I was walking with a good friend of mine, Talon (Lobaugh), many of you probably know him or read about him in the Empire this afternoon. While we were walking he was arrested for an outstanding warrant. Then earlier today, while under arrest at the court house, he escaped briefly. First of all, him having to go back to jail is awful and him getting caught trying to escape again will make his jail time longer. Now he’s in the paper and just like when he was arrested and in jail before, I’m sure he will be “made an example of.”
Basically, what this means to me is that a good friend of mine is going to have more of his youth and life taken away. Why? The only reason I can think of is punishment. He is not a bad person — he has problems. we all have problems. He just happens to be caught (or was put) in a loop. So what do we all think this punishment is going to do? Why are we doing it? Well, what I think is that it is going to leave him with more problems. We are taking people who have problems, putting them in jail to punish them, creating more problems in their lives and then letting them out of jail. And repeat.
Talon is not bad and I know positively he does not deserve to go to jail. If anything, what Talon needs, like most people, is good, local, fresh, healthy food, to be creative and productive, to realize we are all connected, to go outside in nature every day, to be respectful and not wasteful, and to be a part of a community that cares about each other.
He needs to be a part of a community that cares — cares in a way that when someone has a problem they are not punished for it, but given help, love and understanding. That is not in our jail system, government run by males whose job is physical force and control, i.e. police. We all need to be a part of a community that realizes we are all connected, so when one person is being hurt we all are hurt, when one person is abusive we are all abusive by letting it happen, when we take from the earth we are taking from ourselves.
On another note, three other friends of mine were abused by police May 1 as well. They are three young Juneauites, all 20, all living in Seattle and all are part of the Occupy/99% movement. They were walking in the street in a big protest yesterday, all they did all day was walk and stand, yet they were either beaten or arrested.
I say things are about due for a change.
Holly Rose Adams
Juneau
Comments (20)
Add commentfriendship
While your commitment to your friend is admirable, you have to ask yourself why he had an outstanding warrant in the first place.
We all have problems. It's how we deal with those problems that determines our fate in life. Your friend obviously didn't deal with whatever problems he had very well, and that may have been a factor in his arrest.
But please don't blame Juneau Police. They were simply doing their jobs.
But, I share your concern of police in general overextending their authority. Youtube is full of videos of such. I used to live in a couple of cities where I feared the police. Juneau is not one of those cities.
My experience with JPD is that they are the most upstanding, ethical and professional police I have ever encountered. Even though it only takes one cop to change that image, we have excellent police here.
May your friend get the help he needs. With compassionate friends such as yourself, his odds of getting the help he needs just got better.
But realize that you cannot help someone who doesn't want to help themselves first.
And that's where it begins; with him.
victimless crimes
While I don't know any details of this particular case, I do understand how ridiculously easy it is for a totally harmless person to get caught up in a loop of being labeled a criminal and being incarcerated when they have actually done no harm to anyone. And the Empire making front page news of this particular story showed extremely poor judgement.
life is about
Life is about choices and he apparently has made some bad ones. Now he has to man up and face them. Running from the court house shows he doesn't care about being responsible for his actions. I do hope he gets the help he needs, but too not hold him accountable for his actions is not doing him or society any favor. It just encourages more of the same. He has no one to blame but himself.
"due for a change" indeed
Holly Rose, thank you for your letter. I whole-heartedly agree with your larger point about our "justice" system.
Our society has little tolerance for difference, especially for people with mental health issues, and prefers punishment. I think this is a direct result of our very puritan ancestors who believed God rewarded people during their time on Earth so that those to whom nothing bad happened clearly were in God's good graces and those who suffered setbacks were clearly not, therefore, the puritans didn't need to be forgiving or helpful to those of whom God so disapproved.
It is clear that Talon has mental health issues. No clear-thinking person would try to escape from the court house in Juneau, of all places. We "hope" that he will get the help he needs, but it is unlikely. In my view, we simply do not value each other enough to ensure that he, and many others like him, will get that help. We'd rather lock them up and throw away the key, thereby making it someone else's problem to deal with.
Jail wasn't just about punishment, it was about removing from society those that might hurt others. It used to have a rehabilitative component, but that has gone the way of many other "social entitlements" - cut to the bone. We are a nation that prefers myth to truth and punishment to help. It's not surprising that many that posted under the original articles about this issue were so virulent in their call for "justice" - one person even stated he thought it would be better to shoot him then spend money on a trial. That's what we're up against, Holly Rose. I don't see the change that's due coming any time soon.
Unfortunately
Mr. Lobaugh has been previously charged with other crimes - theft, vehicle theft and forgery - none of which were "victimless". While I am not one of the "string him up" types, I do think it's high time Mr. Lobaugh got his act together and got some help. "Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time".
@JNUKara
I agree that the crimes he committed were not victimless. I do think that our current justice system isn't working and basing public policy on bumper sticker logic demeans the very idea of justice.
The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world - 743 per 100,000 people (2009); we lock up more than the top 35 European nations combined. The American public has (once again) been sold a bill of goods by corporations eager to increase their bottom line. In this instance, it is the private prison lobby that has shaped American public policy on prisons through their contributions and think tank op eds masquerading as news.
We lock up everyone for just about everything. It's a big money maker, so why not? I'll tell you why, because it is extremely detrimental to society. We need more justice and less jail.
I guess I expected a more thoughtful response from you Kara. I understand Mr. Lobaugh has hurt people, but he clearly has mental health issues, so perhaps you can explain to me how putting him in jail is going to help him to work on those issue so that when he is out, he can have even a chance at becoming a productive citizen who no longer hurts others. Isn't that the ultimate goal?
1st sentence
Holly: When I ran your name through the court system database it showed that you have twice been charged with leaving the sceen of an accident and that you also had problems with driving without a license or insurance. The database does not back up your claim of not having any sort of a criminal record.
This is one of the more
This is one of the more idiotic letters I have read in a long time. Sorry for being so blunt. The guy is a criminal. He seemingly has no ability to distinguish right from wrong. It does not surprise me that Mr. Lobaugh would have friends who would put out this kind of moronic babble.
responsibility
Holly, you skirt around some important issues, and I agree with spiff in many of his points, especially that our "criminal justice system" is based more on warehousing than rehabilitation. This warehousing, especially by private prisons, happens to be a growth "industry" based on public money, which criminalizes many at an early age.
If you wish to be an agent of change, you must begin by taking responsibility for your actions---To use that oft-repeated quote paraphrasing Gandhi: We must be the change we wish to see in the world.
Good luck in a worthy goal.
Hi everybody, this is Holly
Well I am really upset about Talon, this letter wasn't so much a focus on him, not as much as the change that needs to happen. I just want to make it clear I don't blame the police I understand they are just people doing their job. I do how ever see them as people with the most direst authority over the regular person and sort of the hands or puppets of our government.
I don't think I could really make clear my views in a short letter to the editor or know where even to begin so that people could really understand. I was just trying to get a little more attention to the fact that this is really screwed up. Also just keep in mind as you read this and my original letter that you probably don't know me, Talon, or the really situation so you might not want to make such negative judgements on either of us.
Also one thing that I think would help most people in the world is to live as local as they can. Getting food, clothes, materials, etc local, so you can really see the effect you have. I believe in our consuming society that imports everything, that it really keeps people from seeing what effects they have on the world. What would really help is not lowering the price of gas and food and houses, etc but instead having a true value system so as not to be wasteful and harmful to ourselves and the world.
Also I guess I did have a hit and run accident without insurance when I was 18 so I guess if you consider that a criminal record, then I do have one... btw I have my license, acar, insurance and paid for the damages I caused a long time ago.
Hollyra,That sounds very
Hollyra,
That sounds very bliss-ninny granola of you. What's your point? The world is a screwed up place? Wow, did you just wake up to that fact? How does your friend getting busted relate to a warped stance against globalization?
So, we out here in Cyberland don't know you. To be honest, I really don't care to become acquainted with you. Nor do I care to have Talon Lobaugh in my house, mainly because he's a low-life criminal.
Face reality, your buddy faces some serious issues. Writing into the paper to voice some spaced out views of society isn't going to do much except provide amusement for the likes of me and the others who frequent this forum. If you really want to assist Mr. Lobaugh, coax him into seeking counseling for his mental health problems.
Let...
I feel for you Holly. But to quote Ron White,
"You can't fix stupid."
It's not your fault Darwin is catching up with him.
Please don't put him in the same light as Wall Street protesters and their arrests. These are two separate incidents with two separate law enforcement agencies dealing with two separate issues. Please do not compare Talon's lack of brain cells with tyranny. These issues have nothing to do with one-another.
Shooting the messenger
As you can see, Hollyra, when some folks either don't agree with your view or can't be bothered to think very long about it, they resort to personal attacks against the messenger.
There was one reference to encouraging your friend to seek treatment for his mental health issues and the rest are about how stupid/lying/bliss-ninny you are, which is rather irrelevant to the discussion of our current justice system and whether or not it is effective in making society safer and better.
In fact, the lack of compassion for neighbors and fellow human beings shouldn't surprise me anymore, but it always does. Talon isn't "lacking brain cells" although I bet he does have some serious chemical imbalances in the brain cells he does have. So, in our society, in the views of many of the above posters, those suffering from mental health issues are "stupid, Darwin-award candidates, criminals who 'chose' to do something bad, etc." And since it's clear we'd rather lock up our fellow Americans than try and help them, I don't see that changing any time soon.
I echo jamison's sentiment - "be the change you want to see in the world" and good luck. That's all any of us can do and it's a lot more than the people who write off a good portion of humanity with a snide comment and/or the promise that if they were in charge, bullets would be a cheaper and better way to deal with these issues.
Lack of brain cells is one aspect of the problem - true enough
Actually, the writer just above (wren) was correct about one aspect - the lack of brain cells. However, by about age twenty-five, that deficit in the pre-frontal cortex should be corrected. This part of the brain is our judgement center, so when it is fully formed we can start making much better decisions - this is the time of life where we realize our parents weren't as stupid as we thought they were.
So, some judgement impairment is corrected biologically. But for others with other forms of mental impairment this may never occur due to circumstances beyond their control or because of some form of drug abuse, which impedes mental development. These folks are the ones who are stuck without the proper judgement that many of us acquire biologically.
Holly, it is great to read of your compassion for your friend. I hope he gets treatment and gains better judgement, which we all need to function as better human beings.
Many people just like to
Many people just like to ridicule others because it makes them feel better about themselves. It's sad.
We have a criminal justice system that takes care of charging and convicting those who commit crimes. It's not perfect, but it's a far better system than the kangaroo court of public opinion. Unfortunately, some here seem to think it's acceptable to treat ALLEGED criminals (and convicted criminals) as if they're subhuman.
Spiff...
I never said anything bad about Holly. I've had "stupid" friends, and Ron's right, you can't fix them. Regarding imbalances and second chances and all the feel goodies that we like to have in society, it's like socialism, it looks good on paper, but never actually works.
We could do what Alabama did and just pardon everyone. That way we could take sympothy on our criminals giving them all second chances. Maybe we'll be safer with convicted drunk driving repeat offenders on the road, or maybe the same thing will happen to us as in Alabama and we'll end up with a dead teenager.
If you support Talon so much, stop responding to these Empire ads and maybe go to the judge and have him released into your care. Make him your responsibility so you can go to jail if he screws up again. I'm glad we have come so far as a society to go, "Oh, but he isn't an idiot. He simply has a chemical imbalance that made him do it." Fact is, he did it and needs to face the reaper. Murderers have chemical imbalances, but I don't think we should trust them with medication and let them roam the streets. I feel bad for them because I am compassionate, yet I believe that if you kill someone you should die, plain and simple.
I'm so glad we have people that offer no solutions except to take pitty on criminals out there. Personally, I think we should give them the responsibility. How about this judge releasing Talon into the care of say, Spiff, then charging Spiff for any crimes Talon commits while in his care. Spiff, it will be your responsibility to diagnose him and have him take his meds as well.
Holly, I truly do feel for you and truly respect you standing up for your friend. This was very admirable. You really put yourself out there for him, he owes you one! However, I still disagree.
Victimization
Holly, have you ever been the victim of a crime?
If not, imagine yourself a person who suffered the violation and loss associated with one of Talon's acts of stealing (which is part of his extensive criminal background). At that point, who do you think needs help? Talon? - maybe. You? - I'm quite certain your feelings about this criminal and how we as a society should deal with him would be substantially different than they are now. How would you then feel about locking him up for awhile so he can't victimize other people, as he did you?
Supreme Court Justice
The Honorable Chief Justice, Walter L. Carpeneti, in his annual report of the judicial branch of the government said that the judicial system is broken and should focus more on rehabilitation than punishment. This comes from the person holding the highest office in the judicial branch of government for the State of Alaska.
Until changes are made to the system we will continue to apply the penalties associated with each crime. Judges have very little discretion in sentencing even if the convicted is mentally ill. There was a law passed this year that gives the judges more discretion in sentencing criminals with fetal alcohol syndrome.
Let us all hope that Talon avoids prison after the stint in prison he is about to serve.
Accountable for one's actions
Just read this little article of wisdom and this is a reoccuring problem in our society. Maybe its poor parenting, something in the water? There seems to be a large portion of our population who fail to take responsibility for their actions. Something I've noticed in my 48 years of life. If you don't break laws, the cops leave you alone and you don't get put in prison. Simple but true.
A victim
I happen to be a victim of Talon and his low life ways. He is a pile of crap. He is locked up for a reason because he commited not one but several crimes. He has a pattern of re offending this is what society calls a habitual criminal. I have personally witnessed him in public bragging about being in jail for what he has done to people and what he has never been caught for. You Holly are completely fooled by him! Maybe if you were held responsible for his actions since you seem to think he is so great your opinion would change!! Bottom line he is where he belongs and you need to realize this!