Milt

The lawyer versus raccoon controversies continue. You may recall a few weeks ago a lawyer in Florida got sent to a professionalism workshop for knocking a raccoon into the ocean. Now a lawyer in Pennsylvania has filed a federal suit claiming he’s been harassed by law enforcement after he shot a raccoon.

Is civility really the answer? And if it is, how do you get all those terrible people out there to be civil? I bring this up because the president of the American Bar Association, Judy Perry Martinez, last week published a letter titled, “Make 2020 the year of civility.”

You may not have realized this, dear readers, but I’m a skeptic. My career in journalism has taught me time and again not to believe most people’s descriptions of events. I also almost never buy into conspiracy theories — most conspirators are way too inept to conspire. But I think I’ve come across a conspiracy to believe in — a right-wing joke.

Those of you who enjoy surrealism as much as I do may want to look at a somewhat frightening ruling by a Texas appeals court the other day. It seems that 13-year-olds and younger are now free to commit sexual assaults in Texas without punishment. They know not what they do.

Favorite headline of the week: “Clearwater lawyer who shooed raccoon off boat needs ‘professionalism workshop,’ Florida Bar says.” I want to attend this workshop.

What’s the value of a congressional reputation? You’d think it would be pretty low these days but that doesn’t mean that legislators don’t think highly of themselves.

We’ve legalized sports betting in a lot of jurisdictions, so why not legalize sports litigation?  I say this because sports are so much more fun if you have a real stake in the outcome.

I’m one of those people who has trouble being present. I had dinner with friends the other night and the only thing I remember about it is the spicy chicken soup. We could have been plotting the overthrow of the government for all I know.

I’m a pretty lucky guy because I rarely get bullied. This is mainly because I spend most of my time in my shorts and a T-shirt sitting alone at a computer. (Notice that I didn’t say I work in pajamas — I do have a tiny amount of dignity.)

One of the main problems with social media — and, often, writing in general — is that it can be hard to tell what sort of tone or meaning the author intended. The most innocuous comment — or at least the comment you thought was perfectly innocent — can start a virtual riot online.

The fight for justice never ends. While the U.S. Supreme Court ponders whether federal civil rights laws apply to LGBTQ people, let’s not forget that there are other often-forgotten minorities that need protection too.

I’m in favor of kindness and good deeds. Really, I am. But do we need to study them? Should we study them? What if they’re not as kind and good for us as we think?

I suppose punishment should fit crimes but what exactly does that mean? Do you punish based on harm? On intent? On the amount of money it cost to commit the crime? What if the crime actually helped people instead of hurting them?