The Armchair View: Skilling in perspective

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Skilling in perspective

The other day Jeffrey Skilling, the former CEO of Enron was sentenced to 24 years and four months in prison. I certainly think the bastard had it coming, but at the same time I think Homocon makes a very valid point:

Rapists, pedophiles and murderers get sentenced more lightly than this -- hell, even Lynn Stewart, who was convicted of aiding an imprisoned terrorist (Omar Abdul Rahman, who was the spiritual leader of a cell that carried out the first World Trade Center bombing and was planning to blow up the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels) and lying to federal investigators, only got 24 MONTHS!
What kind of message is this supposed to send? Rape someone, kill someone or assist terrorists and you'll maybe get a couple of years, but if we find out you're a shady CEO -- watch out!

And what about this case (via GayandRight)? Indeed, what kind of message are we sending?

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"[Le] prix Nobel Dario Fo [écrit] (Corriere Della Sera, 15 Septembre 2001): 'Que sont les vingt mille morts de New York (sic) à côté des millions de victimes qui font chaque année les grands speculateurs?' L'attribution du prix Nobel de littérature à une nullité littéraire comme Dario Fo avait fait douter de la competence en la matière de l’Academie de Stockholm. L'equivoque est enfin dissipée: elle voulait en realité lui décerner le prix d'economie." Jean-François Revel: L'obsession anti-américaine (translation)
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The Armchair View

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Skilling in perspective

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