So It’s Come to This?

Earlier today, I was on the Internet, checking the news sites for any news. I scrolled through the headlines and noticed that the “chili finger pair” (So named for their scheme to win a large some of money from Wendy’s by planting a human finger in a bowl of chili. She then claimed to have bitten into it, made the news, being a strange and gross story, the 24-hour-a-day news channels picked it up and ran with it. It turned out to be a hoax and they were arrested) was sentenced to prison. I didn’t think much of it. It was stupid, their little prank cost Wendy’s a lot of money, no more harm done. I thought maybe they got a year, maybe a little less. I didn’t bother reading beyond the headline. I just skipped over to another site and saw the headline and thought nothing of it.

Then, I get home and have NPR on. I like our local NPR station at nights, they play very good music and the news on the top of the hour. The news came on. It led with this story, that the “chili finger pair” had been sentenced to prison. This is what they’re leading with? I thought. That’s really the story of the day? And then she reported the sentences,for her, nine years, for him, twelve years.

I’ll let that sink in.

Nine years? Twelve years? For what? Trying to sue every corporation they could? Sure, they were a nuisance and probably deserved some time in prison to think about their chosen way of earning a living. But a decade? That seems a little severe.

I’m sure people will disagree. They cost Wendy’s $2.5 million in sales, they need to be punished for that. I don’t argue that point. Yes, they deserved to be punished.

But,

Let me put this in some perspective and then I’m going to bed.

Nine years ago, here in Iowa, a man was driving drunk and killed a thirteen year old boy riding his bicycle. He served two years in jail. And paid a fine.

Surely, a thirteen year old boy’s life is worth more than $2.5 million?

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