Paris Hilton and Jail Time

Isn't it amazing that as soon as the famous or rich people break the law and get sentenced to jail time that some get up in arms over it.

John Doe down the street robs a liquor store, if you're lucky it'll make the local newspapers. Unless he killed someone while robbing it, it probably won't make television. But as soon as some rich or famous person gets arrested for something, anything, it makes national news. Thousands of websites go up to "free the celebrity!" Hundreds make tee-shirts, hats or other novelty items to spread the word. People join up and write to the district attorney's office begging for them to be set free.

If your rich or famous, society wants "justice" by them being set free. But if John Doe commits the exact same crime, they want his head on a silver platter. These rich and famous people are just that -- people. They're the same as you and me. They eat, sleep, make bad decisions, even have ex's that knock them down. They don't deserve sympathy any more than anyone else.

Paris Hilton gets jail time for a suspended license for a alcohol related reckless driving case -- think about that for a minute!

The words "alcohol" followed by "reckless driving" would make many people demand prison time (depending on details). Driving on a suspended license would make many people scream in outrage. After all, why was the license suspended in the first place; it's not done lightly.

And here's the strangest part about it: very few people know exactly what these famous people are like. They see just what the paparazzi catches on film, or what they see in the people's work. They have no idea what they're really like.

Earlier I said how communities don't act as one; perhaps I should've said communities should treat everyone like they do celebrities.

What happened to communities?

Communities. Noun. A group of people who live in the same area, or the area which they live. People with a common background or shared interests. The public or society in general.

They still exist by definition, but when did people within the communities stop belonging to them?

Think about it. Thursday night you're sitting in your armchair watching your favorite television shows. Outside you hear someone screaming with another in violent tones. It seems more people than not just turn up the volume to tune them out! What happened to seeing if there's a problem, or deity forbid -- call the police!

People just don't want to get involved, or risk the violence coming to them since they know no one will come to their rescue.

What's happened to people? If the person involved was a friend or relative they'd run out the door baseball bat in one hand, cell phone dialed to the police in the other. They wouldn't think twice about it. But as soon as it's a "just a neighbor" they're on their own.

It's like the old saying, "don't yell rape, yell fire". Yell something that others might have to help out, they won't; yell something that others can watch the horrific events, they'll come running.

But why is it that the same person you'd run to help, another person would let die? The victim is the same person. No matter who the victim is, they're someone's son/daughter, someone's partner, someone's parent. There's someone on the planet who would do anything for them without hesitation, so why do people turn their backs on them when they cry out for help.

People have to practically beg to get help if their home burns down. There's few people that wouldn't even a dollar to help out -- but the dollars would add up if they'd only give a little. A town of five thousand people could raise five thousand dollars just by asking all people to give one dollar. Yet in many instances, the family's lucky to get a few hundred.

And that's what communities have become. People living around others, but not caring what happens to them unless it directly affects them.

It's time people start to actually belong to the community. Get involved with your neighbors, have block party cookouts, watch your neighbor's kids (for free), call the police whenever something happens in your area needing it, organize events that your kids can participate in so they start to get involved. You know, actually look out for the people in your area.

Just think, give the kids someplace to go while providing shelter and food for them and maybe drug use, crimes, and gang memberships would go down. Maybe they might just get to grow up. Maybe the news media would get a chance to report on things that don't involve murders, homelessness, missing children or plant closures. Maybe people might just know that if they have an illness in the family, they won't lose everything.

Create a community where people are safe and have a safety net if needed, and you'll draw in business while keeping out the bad influences. And it can be done for as little as a few minutes or even a dollar a day. Not a bad investment and you're guaranteed a return.


But instead communities have millions of people all willing to turn their backs on their neighbors in their time of need.

At least they come together on one thing.