This is Justice?

Remember Congressman Bill Janklow from South Dakota? Sure you do; he ran a stop sign going 71 mph in a 55 mph zone, then hit and killed a young motorcylclist. No, wait... he was doing 71 mph in a 0 mph zone - he blasted right through that stop sign as apparently he had been seen doing before. He had dozens of speeding tickets that he got right up until he was elected for his third term when they suddenly stopped.

Rep. Janklow was tried and sentenced on December 8. According to the Wall Street Journal:

Bill Janklow, who dominated South Dakota politics for three decades as governor and then congressman, was sentenced to 100 days in jail Thursday for an auto accident that killed a motorcyclist and ended Mr. Janklow's career in disgrace.

After 30 days behind bars, Mr. Janklow will be allowed to leave jail during the day for up to 10 hours to perform community service. After he completes his jail term, he will be on probation for three years, during which he won't be allowed to drive.

I wonder how long you or I would have spent behind bars for that crime? You can be certain it would be a lot longer than 100 days with community service. But then - most likely - you and - for sure - me aren't rich, white, Republican males who likely appointed or had something to do with the appointment of the judge who would sentence us.

We are all equal in the eyes of the law; it's just that some of us are more equal than others.