The Proper Punishments

Richard Nixon tried to cover up the Watergate scandal. Ray Rice knocked his fiancé unconscious in an elevator. While these two events happened decades apart and seem scarcely related, they do share one common factor: neither Nixon nor Rice received justified punishment for their crimes. Yes, Nixon was forced to step down from presidency, but the crimes he committed could have landed him in prison. The NFL only suspended Rice after a video of the incident surfaced on the Internet and did not charge him. These two incidents are examples of a much broader problem we have in American society: the tendency for powerful and wealthy people to escape due punishment.It seems like every other day that we hear about a sports celebrity getting into trouble off the field. Occasionally these occurrences end in the appropriate punishment of the offender, but more often than not, he or she is easily let off the hook. The reason for this unfortunate cycle of events becomes apparent when you look at media coverage of the incidents. Harsher punishments accompany public and media outcry. Major sports leagues are, in the end, businesses. When they sense a danger to their reputations, they do not hesitate to punish offenders. But when they don’t feel threatened, they are perfectly fine just "letting it slide." This idea that people shouldn’t be condemned for their actions because they make you a profit is morally reprehensible. Unfortunately, the public also seems to be fine with letting episodes slip "in the name of sports." Under a just system, you should be punished accordingly, independent of your status or wealth.While condemning major sports leagues for their decisions is necessary, the bigger issue surfaces when the guilty person is in a position of authority. With the exception of a few cases, elected officials seem to enjoy criminal immunity. Politicians often have a safety net in their office; they are able to get away with crime simply because they know their trial will be about removal from office. We hear countless stories of police abuse and brutality happening all across the country. Only when these stories blow up, however, do the violent officers receive punishment.The overarching problem with all of this is a lack of accountability. The expression "With great power comes great responsibility" is often quoted, but does it really apply to our system of accountability? If a person’s job is to protect, create or uphold the law, and they instead break those very rules, they are not only committing a felony, but abusing the power they were entrusted with. By giving celebrities and people in power a break when in comes to criminal justice, our society creates an incentive for them to neglect their legal responsibilities, which is unacceptable in a system designed to protect the rights of the people. 