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In case you're wondering why O.J. Simpson is still on television, let me draw your attention to most recent judicial travesty he's involved in. Things are a bit different this time, though, as our favorite Pacific 10 Conference running back is on the vict im side of the story. Now, after an agonizing criminal trial, Simpson must face the jury once again as he is named in a civil suit for the wrongful deaths of those other people who we've heard too much about.
I certainly wouldn't waste my time, or yours, writing about O.J., yet the concept of civil court payoffs is something we ought to be concerned with. When was it we decided that large monetary settlements were compensation for civil rights violations?
The figures are astronomical. Any sort of sexual harassment case against a Fortune 500 company is sure to bring six figures. Age and race are always good for cold hard cash, even when you're suing Denny's. Rodney King's beating brought in over $20 million , almost twice that of a good heavyweight fighter's take for an evening of violence. How is it, you might ask, that we have arrived at such incredible figures for the value of our civil liberties?
Let's back up a minute. Ignoring the mandatory thought of "I'll take a beating for $20 million," I find the very concept of monetary retribution for civil rights violations repulsive. How much better is $10 million than $1 million? I bet you there's more than one person who'd consider momentarily losing his civil liberties to a couple of badge wearing thugs for a million dollars. What about a hundred thousand? Or $10,000? Maybe we could have a Sunday discount special on civil abuses for those who don't g et out much during the week.
Equating freedoms with dollars is the cheapening of our country's most precious commodity. The current civil court system seems something akin to a Bill of Rights strip club where the rich and powerful can come and give up a bit of money in trade for some small indiscretions. How can we expect organizations and individuals to respect our autonomy and equality when they are able to purchase it in court as if buying rights to rezone property?
And what of these screaming family members that grace the television whenever a tragedy has taken the life of someone close to them? There's simply nothing more disgusting than the image of a grief-ridden parent that has lost his child suddenly thrusting his greedy hand into the pockets of those who have wronged him. I would hope that those who care about us wouldn't show such disrespect as to jump into bed with the lawless and come out smiling with a fat handful of change as if everything were all right.
While I am heavily in favor of punitive penalties against civil rights abusers, I believe it would be more consistent with our concept of liberty to direct this money to worthwhile organizations and scholarship funds that strive to enhance American freedo ms. The thousands of unnoticed abuses might then benefit from the single, publicized one.
Unfortunately, there is justifiable concern that the loss of big personal settlements would lessen the legal profession's interest in civil cases. Yet, considering that its efforts have largely contributed to a system where you can buy someone's freedom i n a public court, I think we ought to take our chances without it.
Simple economics illustrates the law of supply and demand. It follows that as more and more Americans are willing to give up their freedoms for the almighty dollar, the price of that commodity will continue to fall. Soon $10 million will be $1 million; af ter that, thousands, and finally, a couple of rouge law enforcement agents will be able to exploit a six-pack of inner city kids for $19.95 plus tax.
Slavery is still slavery, even if now it is somewhat virtual and expensive. We must separate what we hold dear from the brutality of finance and the ease of payoffs. Our lives are worth more than there are dollars, thus our freedoms to live them must be m ore than the meaning of value.
Jason Pyle is an engineering physics senior. His column, 'Critical Point,' appears every other Monday.
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