An incredibly misguided Colorado woman got a four year prison sentence for wanting to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and intending to be a bride for one its soldiers.
Four Years for Wanting to Join ISIS
This sentence is wrong-headed on many levels (and, yes, she will probably not serve the full four years, but even one year is too harsh for this case).
First, any time a government incarcerates a human being then that government is committing a violent act itself. It is unnatural to cage a human being, and should be used only in cases to protect society from future harm (i.e. violent offenders or the criminally insane). This woman committed no act herself, she just intended to join ISIS and had been in the process to do so. Yes, she probably would have done it if the FBI did not stop her at the airport, and, yes, the FBI probably saved her life. The right thing was done by stopping her, and afterwards she has fully cooperated with federal authorities by providing information on her contacts and offering to testify against them. And for this, she received four years in prison? That is not justice. In fact, it will only encourage others not to cooperate with law enforcement in the future. It is the same with John Walker Lindh (“(“the American Taliban”), who is serving a long sentence with no reprieve even after fully cooperating with authorities. He also never fought the US government or military (when he joined the Taliban, the US was at peace with the Taliban and even had talks with their representatives).
Second, imprisoning people is incredibly expensive. Taxpayers are on the hook every time a person is put into prison. The US has over 1% of its population in prison (by far, the highest proportion on the planet), and it is a huge money pit that could be spent on other priorities within the country. This case is just another example of this extreme waste of money, but people don’t say anything or care about it. Deflated footballs get the attention, while the government flushes your money away. Make this woman do community service or garnish her wages as punishment, that would be more civilized, just and effectual.
Stop throwing people into prison for non-violent crimes (particularly first offenders) and wasting taxpayer money.
Originally posted: http://www.mccarthyism.com/2015/20150124.htm
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