Is it really a big problem? Should we be spending so much time on Enron and Martha Stewart???

I can't help but think that we have bigger problems in the world... like the people who won't have something to eat tonight, or the several thousand who die because of AIDS each day.

It's just my opinion. I wanna hear yours...

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I agree, we have bigger problems to worry about.

That is true, but it is just the same with all of the things that we take for granted: tvs, microwaves, cars, computers, with all of the money that it took to buy all of these kind of posessions in your house, you could probably save a life, think about it...

Well at least Martha's career didn't suffer much. Now she has her own reality show.

well put it in perspective if I did what martha did I would go to jail for more like 5 years rather than 5 months in a hotel like federal prison is their classism going on? yes, is white collar crime bad? yes, is there much we can do about it? nope not really

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Originally posted by EgyptianQueen69:
Well we wouldn't want the rich powerful people to go to jail...it's ok for the gov't to cheat common citizens out of money, but not ok for a man to hold up a liquor store!! Roll Eyes



Fixed it for you.

Good one, DrStrangelove

About Jackson, I believe that he molested little boys, however, he is innocent until proven guilty. I'm shocked and dismayed that you say that some people don't deserve a trial. Every American is entitled to a trial, no matter how heinous the crime. It is only fair.

2. Also, its not as much of a big deal as you've been led to think. The media will naturally blow such things out of proportion. For example, the Michael Jackson case only involves a handful of people, but the media makes it out to be one hell of a problem.

How in the heck can you say that about Michael Jackson?! He molested a lot of little boys, and no child deserves that. Child Molesters (as well as rapists) dont even deserve a trial - they should just be taken out back and shot. Jail doesnt change a child molesters mind about touching little kids inappropriately, it just makes them want to do it more.

White collar crime is much more insidious than blue collar crime. Generally people whom committ blue collar crimes like theft, assault, etc., do so from a position of poverty. Most white collar crimes occur with people who are at or above median income in this country, many times WAAAAY above (such as martha or the Tyco executives). Most people that own stock are at or above the median income line and trying to go higher, hence the stock. White collar crime is not only a crime of greed but also a crime that unempowers the middle and upper middle classes, those whose backs this country is built on.

There are people out there that are helping AIDs victums and those in need across this nation, but those things won't air on the news because the producers know that no one wants to hear about those things. I for one do, but they look at what news that is happening in the world today will sell on T.V Martha Stewart getting busted sells so that what they will show. I think that all news should be shown no matter what is it are who it's about.

quote:

Originally posted by EgyptianQueen69:
Well we wouldn't want the rich powerful people to go to jail...it's ok for the gov't to cheat common citizens out of money, but not ok for a man to hold up a liquor store!!

Fixed it for you.

Well we wouldn't want the rich powerful people to go to jail...it's ok for rich guys to cheat the gov't out of money, but not ok for a man to hold up a liquor store!!

Since, I last posted to this topic I have definitely changed my views about white collar crime. I am taking studying criminal justice, and i have learned alot more than what I knew back then.
We can't just ignore white collar crime, just because we don't see the immediate impact it has on a person's life it does effect us, not only effecting one person, but sometimes hundreds and thousands.
It's not just about Martha Stewart and Enron, it's about identity theft and the hundreds of other scams out there to take away your money and your life. Most of the time, there isn't anything you can do to fix it either. They don't have statistics for these kind of crimes, and they are harder to prove. But they are happening more than murders, kidnappings, auto theft, rape etc. It is a big problem and it's getting worse.
Action does need to be taken to make people more aware of it and to stop it from happening.

Though people like Martha Stewart would be more screwed over by going to jail than to pay a large fine, I finally agree with FML about there being no need for celebrities (who have committed WC crimes) to be taking up prison space. We need it more for criminals who are actually a threat to other citizens. Spending time in prison, which will mar their reputations more than a fine which they will have no problem taking care of, will harm them more, therefore serve as better punishment.
Despite that, we can all make more use of their money than of more publicizing of whatever 'fiasco' they were involved in. Therefore, their money will hopefully be put to good use, and help the "bigger problems" we should be focusing on.

I think it's a huge problem. But instead of sending these jerks to jail for three months so they can get out and still be billionares, we should kick'em where it hurts; the checkbook. We should institute HUGE fines for SEC violations. they aren't a threat to you and I by being out of jail like drug dealers are. So we'll just fine them a few mill.

What you're insinuating is that we go and ignore White Collar Crime. Honestly, is there any other legimiate fix for the attention? If you look at the actual situation, you'll notice two things:

1. The reason they got so mad at Enron and Martha Stewart was because they were "Cheating the System", per se. It wouldnt matter if only Martha Stewart was the only shareholder, but she wasnt. Think of it as not Martha Stewart vs. Government, more as Martha Stewart vs. Billions of screwed-over shareholders.

2. Also, its not as much of a big deal as you've been led to think. The media will naturally blow such things out of proportion. For example, the Michael Jackson case only involves a handful of people, but the media makes it out to be one hell of a problem.

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I'm saying a man that sold drugs to a kid (most likely a rich kid)...to support is wife and kids

It's ok to help kids O.D. if they're rich? Why do jis kids have higher value than the one's he sold drugs to. All your point proves is that our narcotic salesman is a hipocrite. How many drug dealers do you think stay and help raise the kids they pro-create? Not many I would assert.
I have spent much time volunteering in shelters. I have seen to many dealers to count. I can count the Men with Wives on one hand.

And...I'm saying a man that sold drugs to a kid (most likely a rich kid)...to support is wife and kids get to sit in a jail cell while is lower income family starves to death. And an already extremly wealthly man decides he wants to skip out of taxes because he'd rather have that million go towards a new house!

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Is it really a big problem? Should we be spending so much time on Enron and Martha Stewart???
I can't help but think that we have bigger problems in the world... like the people who won't have something to eat tonight, or the several thousand who die because of AIDS each day.

For all of who thought I would come on here and agree with this idiotic statement, you are wrong. Martha stewart broke the law and was convicted in a court and sentanced appropriatly. The men at Enron should be hangged in a public square. I don't think that "spending time" on white collar crime is goiong to detract from a cure for AIDS. People who say, "aren't there better things to be doing" often don't know what they are talking about. This is one of those instances.

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You are right, I mean why should the man who sold cocaine to teenagers have to sit in the same jail cell as a bad man who found out a little information before selling his stock. Ruining kids lives and murdering is IDENTICAL to trying to save a few percent on a stock sale.

I agree with you FML, while I think that in certain cases like Enron people deserve to be punished hard, Martha should not have to room with a drug trafficker. Now THIS is just another excuse for people to bash business.

Do you know what you are talking about? It doesn't sound like it.