Friday, January 24, 2014

I'm Not Buying It

Thought for the day:  The very rich are different from you and me.  [F.Scott Fitzgerald]

Well, obviously, people who have enough money to wipe their tushes with hundred-dollar bills have a lot more money than we do, but that isn't the only thing that sets them apart from the rest of us. Numerous studies have shown that the wealthy tend to behave differently, too. And many of them have attitudes of entitlement.

For example, consider these tidbits gleaned from Jim Winokur's book The Rich Are Different: 

*  When Christina Onassis got thirsty, she ordered Diet Coke... to be flown to her by private jet.
* Ivana Trump hated to see footprints on the carpet in her house. In fact, she hated it so much, she wouldn't even enter a room unless the rug was freshly vacuumed.
* The Sultan of Brunei flew the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to London for his son's ninth birthday. The cost? A cool million bucks.
* Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton was often carried around by a hunky attendant. When asked why, she said, "Why should I walk when I can hire someone to do it for me?"
* When one-time Time Warner boss Steve Ross flew his wife and two other couples to Mexico for Christmas, the trip required two corporate planes... one for the people, and one for the gifts.
* Donald Trump's 727 had 24-carat gold belt buckles.

Having more money doesn't make you happier. I have fifty million dollars, but I'm just as happy as I was when I had forty-eight million.  [Arnold Schwarzenegger]
              **********************


When I was in elementary school, our principal would often pop into our classroom, and when he did, he usually told us a silly joke. One of those jokes was about a pet parrot named Enza. The family was very distraught because their beloved parrot had escaped through an open window, but the punch line delivered a happy... and corny... ending. When they left the window open again... In Flew Enza. Okay, so he wasn't the world's best comedian, but it's gotta mean something that I can still remember that punch line after all these years.

Well, ya know what you get when you combine  influenza with affluence? You get a whole new word to describe an affliction that strikes only the wealthy: affluenza. 

That word burst into my consciousness this past December, but it actually isn't a new concept. In fact, the term may have been coined as far back as 1954, and PBS ran a special by that name in 1997. British psychologist Oliver James defined the term several years ago as placing a high value on money, possessions, appearances, and fame. In their 2006 book, called Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough, Australian psychologists Clive Hamilton and Richard Denniss concluded that wealth causes over-consumption and materialism, and inevitably leads those poor little rich kids to self-medicate with booze and drugs.

Some people made a teensy bit of fun at the idea of affluenza:


But this past December, the unthinkable happened. It was used as a defense in a criminal trial.

Was this a case of the scales of justice being blatantly tipped to favor the wealthy? You decide.

The case: Sixteen-year-old Texan Ethan Couch and seven of his friends stole and drank two cases of beer. The other boys allegedly begged Couch to slow down, but he was still driving the pickup truck thirty MPH over the speed limit when he plowed into four people at the side of the road. And killed them. Eleven others were injured. Two of his friends were thrown from the bed of the truck, one of whom will be paralyzed for the rest of his life. Couch? He fled on foot, yelling, "I'm Ethan Couch! We'll get out of this." Three hours after the accident, his blood alcohol level still measured three times the legal limit, and a trace of valium lingered in his blood.

Bottom line, he was right. He did get out of it. This wasn't his first run-in with the law, either. He'd already been charged with underage drinking before, and he was found with an unconscious, undressed fourteen year-old girl in his truck, too. The consequences? Nuttin, honey.

It's all about the affluenza. His lawyer said he suffers from it, and needed rehabilitation, not prison. G. Dick Miller, a psychologist hired by the family, said the boy was a product of affluenza, and thus, unable to link his bad behavior with consequences because he had been raised to believe wealth buys privilege.

I'm not buying it, but evidently the judge did. She sentenced him to alcohol rehabilitation and ten years' probation. The posh California rehab center looks like a resort... and will cost the family almost half a million dollars a year.



So, I ask you, if his so-called affliction was caused by a lack of consequences, how exactly does shielding him yet again from the consequences of his behavior cure that affliction? Talk about the ultimate irony. How will getting out of it change his behavior?

And if essentially what is an innocent by reason of wealth is a valid defense, shouldn't innocent by reason of poverty be a valid plea as well? If a kid can get a slap on the wrist for being over-privileged, doesn't an under-privileged kid deserve the same consideration?

Lawyers believe a man is innocent until proven broke.  [Robin Hall]

Yeah, right. I wouldn't give a plug nickel's chance of that ever working. Matter of fact, in 2012, the same judge who sentenced Couch to rehab and probation sentenced another fourteen-year-old to ten years in juvenile detention. He punched a man, and the man fell, hit his head, and died. That young man was black. Okay, so that may not have had anything to do with the ruling, but let's just say... he wasn't named Ethan Couch. And I doubt very seriously if he or his family were troubled with an overabundance of funds.

And so it goes.

                                               So what do you think...?

                          Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

117 comments:

  1. Ivana Trump would have a panic attack if she were to see where I live.
    Unfortunately, our "justice" system has always been blind to the wealthy and vengeful to the poor.

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    1. Ivana wouldn't be too thrilled about our house, either. Especially if she doesn't like cats. But that's okay; let's not invite her.

      Unfortunately, I think you're right.

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  2. I heard about the affluenza case, and it is sickening!

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  3. What a sad commentary on western society.

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    1. Yes, it is. On the plus side, there has been quite a backlash about this case, and the judge has already said she wouldn't be running for another term.

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  4. I think those who are raised to believe their money can get them anything at all, including out of trouble, are actually much poorer than those of us who don't have cash.
    I know some people who aren't filthy rich, but they are well off enough not to have to worry, and they've brought up their kids to think and be responsible adults, just like the majority of us.

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    1. I think you're absolutely right. Much more important to be rich in character than rich in the pocketbook.

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  5. Money not only talks, it very often shouts with incredible reverberations. The wealthy have always used their monetary powers to save their souls from the devil - - or perhaps to sell their souls to the devil.


    As for quirks from the wealthy - - -
    I remember when actress Elizabeth Taylor was filming "Cleopatra" in Rome and she'd have a bowl of chili flown in by jet from her favorite New York restaurant.......

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    1. Yes, I suppose you're right about the wealthy having always used money as a barrier against consequences, but it's still saddening. And sickening. It breaks my heart that the people who were killed or seriously injured in this incident have more or less been dismissed as being collateral damage and of no consequence.

      Must have been reeeeeeally good chili!

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    2. Makes sense, being Cleopatra, she wouldn't want to eat Egyptian chili in case it was made with poisonous asp....

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  6. I think that it is sad that rich people think and can buy themselves out of predicaments... they really cannot in the long run but it does seem so unfair when I read or hear stories like this...

    I think he should suffer the consequences like any other person who has broke the law...

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    1. Agreed. Karma will get them in the end, but it's hard to hold onto zen-like calmness in light of the inequities that allow them to get away with so much now.

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  7. I have a friend who lives in The Caribbean. On a shopping trip to London, about two years ago, she took two taxis back to the airport. One for her, the other for all her shopping. She's recently been divorced (I wonder why), and the bottomless pit has now found its bottom. I expect she now wishes she'd put all that wasted cash in a bank account!

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    1. Well, your friend may have lost access to all that money to fund her wild shopping sprees, and she may not have a loving husband to warm her bed anymore, but at least she still lives in the Caribbean. (Gotta look on the bright side, and it's plenty bright in the Caribbean!)

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  8. Really interesting post. Too bad Ethan Crouch AND his parents weren't all jailed.

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    1. Agreed. Usually, I'm of the opinion that parents only deserve a modicum of praise for their children's successes and a modicum of criticism for their children's failures, but in this case, these parents weren't even trying to raise their son to be a responsible young man.

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  9. interesting indeed. And I do think the parent are equally if not more responsible in the Crouch case. I've seen some friends get money and they've changed a bit. My sister-in-law in regards to buying a house - her husband wanted to downsize. She said "I don't want to go backward." He wasn't talking trailer, but she didn't want to go to reasonable square feet. She still wanted the monster house with the fancy trim. I kinda wonder what she thinks when she walks into our modest (and paid for) home. Hmm. Have a super weekend!

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    1. You're right; the parents aren't exactly blameless.

      We're in the "modest house" category, too. When we moved to Georgia in '71, our realtor kept calling this house a "starter home", because it was common practice back then for people to upgrade into a larger house every few years. Why? Where we came from, people usually bought one house and lived there until they kicked the bucket. Needless to say, we're in that same "starter house", and we're quite happy here. What's funny is that for about six years, that realtor sent us a Christmas card and gift every year, until she finally got the we-ain't-moving picture.

      Happy weekend to you, too!

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  10. I read about that when it happened. That is just insane. You're right, he'll learn nothing.

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    1. Yeah, it is insane. He may have learned something, but I'm afraid it's just a reinforcement for what he already believed. A shame.

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  11. Canada has their own case of teenage affluenza...Justin what's his name. Kid needs a good spanking.

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    1. Yeah, Justin does need a good spanking. Unfortunately, he'd probably enjoy it.

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  12. That story made us all sick, but this has always been the case since time began. Privilege begets privilege.

    On the positive side I look at people like Warren Buffett and other billionaires who have willed their fortunes to foundations that are set up to make life better for others. They choose to hand down responsibility and pride in their accomplishments to their heirs rather than a life of irresponsibility and little purpose.

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    1. Privilege only begets privilege if the privileged parents don't teach their privileged kids properly about responsibility and consequences. People like Warren Buffet (and many other philanthropists) use their positions of wealth as a means to make a positive impact on society. Money isn't the root of all evil; it's the love and blatant misuse of it.

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  13. That verdict saddened me so much. Attitudes of entitlement are one of the worst qualities that a person can possess. I was around a very well-to-do crowd last fall for an event, and I felt very uncomfortable the entire time. It's just a completely different mindset and one that I just don't fit in well with :)

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    1. I found the verdict astounding... and then saddening. Some wealthy people have looked down their noses at me while wrapping themselves in an air of entitlement... but others have been kind, caring, and welcoming. Money doesn't always turn a person into a jackass. (Sometimes, it's a pre-existing condition.)

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  14. Very thought provoking post - sad, really because 'they' will never see it that way. This is when 'karma' is the only thing we can hope for to get justice, again a very sad state of affairs.

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    1. No, "they" probably won't see the situation the same as most of us do, but still, maybe this will serve as a wake-up call for them. If that boy... and his parents... don't feel deep remorse over the deaths and injuries... maybe Karma is the only thing that'll get the point across to them.

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  15. That defense is the biggest load of crap I ever heard. That kid is probably going to learn nothing and get out and do something stupid again. And someone else will pay for it. Which just goes to show that money can buy everything - even a get out of jail card.

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    1. Yep, it sure is, but with all the hoopla that was raised about it, I don't think it'll ever be used as a defense again. I hope.

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  16. That verdict was a great surprise to me. I wonder if this young man will ever be able to see the error of his ways.

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    1. I think it was a great surprise to a lot of us. It was right up there (down there?) with the teacher who got off with a year's probation for molesting a 14-year-old student, who committed suicide before the case even went to court. The judge decided the girl was as much to blame as he was.

      I don't know, but for his sake, and the sake of society, I sure hope so.

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  17. It is hard for me to imagine what made the judge buy into this defense....unless it was a little under the table cash. Sad for the kid, sad for the victims and their families and sad for our society.

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    1. The judge says she honestly believed the boy was more in need of help than punishment, but I'd feel better about her decision if it at least included some sort of community service to help instill a little humility in him. I hope there was no under the table cash involved. The story is disheartening enough without that.

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  18. That case is a load of elephant doo-doo. And I'm not buying it either. Call me cynical, but I have wondered who has been handed a few extra bucks in this case.

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    1. Yep, a big steaming pile of it. With lots of flies buzzing around.

      You could be right. I hope not, but money sometimes talks louder than Lady Justice.

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  19. I remember when this happened and my thoughts were just like yours... The judge once again proved the kid's beliefs to be TRUE. Growing up rich entitles you to *get out of anything.* A better ruling, in my opinion, would have been jail time so that he would understand in a very real sort of way that there are consequences for your actions... no matter who you are or how much money you have.

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    1. Exactly! The judge provided positive reinforcement to strengthen his already warped perception of the world. Dumb, dumb, dumb. I think some sort of humbling community service would have done more good than incarceration. But probation? Ridiculous.

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  20. The thing that sickens me most about the "affluenza" case is the judge--that she could render a verdict like that without apparent shame. Makes me wonder if she might have been either bribed or blackmailed, because surely she can't just be that clueless.

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    1. Well, I guess maybe the judge has SOME shame; she already announced that she wouldn't be seeking another term. (As if she had a shot at being re-elected!)

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  21. The more money they have the more they get away with everything, sickening indeed. Should have chucked the little turd in jail. But instead just keep wiping things under the rug while everyone else suffers the wrath of these morons.

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    1. Wow! This story really musta gotten to you... no rhyme! You're right, come to think of it. No poetic justice to be found in this case. None at all.

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  22. This case continues to make me sick!!

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  23. Ugh, I hadn't heard of this and, like fishducky, it makes me sick. It also makes me happy my kids and I will never be wealthy.

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    1. I don't think it's wealth that makes kids this irresponsible and out of control. To a large degree, it's the parenting. You're a good mom now; you'd still be a good mom if you were wealthy. (Better be ready for it, too, after your books get published...)

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    2. Thanks for the ego boost! It is in large part parenting. Maybe the parent's should have been taken to court.

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  24. Great post, Susan. All I can add is a favorite Woody Allen quote: "Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons."

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  25. The influenza joke used to be used by children as a jump rope rhyme during the 1918 flue pandemic. Barbara Hutton? Actress? I thought she was the heir to the Woolworth's fortune. "I found a million dollar baby in a five and ten cent store." She died nearly broke.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Really? Well, darn, and here I thought our principal came up with something new just for us...

      YIPES! You GOT me! You're absolutely right. I was thinking of BETTY Hutton. She was the actress. (Oops.) Thanks for catching my faux pas; I'll change it asap.

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  26. What I have to say would take more time than I have right now, Susan. But let me just say this, I love your critical, investigative, logical mind. If I ever need a mouth-piece, YOU it. To be continued...I have to organize my thoughts to reply. Hellava, powerful post! Cheers!!

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    1. Thanks. (Not sure my hubby would agree with your assessment of my mind, but I appreciate it.) I'm glad the post resonated with you, and I'll be looking forward to hearing your additional thoughts about the case.

      Cheers back atcha, and here's to a happy weekend.

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  27. This was a horrible travesty of justice, but not surprising at all. There was a reason Couch knew he could get away with whatever he did. Amply proved by the judge rolling over and sentencing him to a country club.

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    1. I must admit, I WAS surprised by this case. In spite of other indications to the contrary, I was still naive enough to expect a more just outcome than this.

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  28. I didn't buy that either and found the whole thing nauseating beyond words. On a brighter note, I LOVE your new header picture - my favorite one yet. :D I love the kitty so much I almost couldn't concentrate on the post LOL.

    Happy weekend to you and Smartacus!

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    1. Ditto.

      Thanks! I keep thinking maybe I should change the header picture, but every time I look at Dash peeking out of the flannel shirt sleeve, it makes me smile.

      Happy weekend to you, too. (Keep warm!)

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  29. SUSAN ~
    I don't really like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I have to admit that was a funny line. Honestly, I wouldn't have thought him smart enough to come up with it.

    And the video clip about "Affluenza" was really clever and entertaining.

    But then very quickly the tone of this blog bit took a sharp turn... thanks to the poor driving of one Ethan Couch.

    I was reminded of an episode of 'The Andy Griffith Show' titled 'BAILEY'S BAD BOY'. It was about a young man (played by Bill Bixby) from a wealthy family who felt he could get away with just about anything (because he always had). In that "fictional" story, however, the Bad Boy came to see the error of his ways and reformed himself. Probably only in Hollywood would that happen.

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    1. I'm not an over-the-top Schwarzenegger fan, either, but he does come up with some funny lines. (Not sure he always MEANS to be funny, but still...)

      Interesting contrast between Ethan Couch's case, and the story on Andy Griffith's show, We'd be a lot better off if reality were more like the way things were in Mayberry.

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    2. I agree.....if only our lives today could be like those in the pretty little town of Mayberry! (It doesn't surprise me ONE BIT that Mr. Stephen T managed a way to bring Mayberry into the blog post and his comment!!)

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  30. I remember the Ethan Couch story in the news, and I remember how sick it made me. What a slap in the face of the loved ones of the four people he killed.

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    1. Absolutely. What does that trivial "punishment" say to the families and friends of the people who died?

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  31. Dear Susan,
    it makes me so angry to read about a sentence like that from the judge about "affluenza" as extenuating circumstances. Not only angry, but speechless.

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    1. Dear Britta,

      I know what you mean. It's hard to fathom.

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  32. And we think our judges are out of touch with reality over here.

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    1. Pretty appalling, isn't it? I sure hope this is a one-time isolated case.

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  33. I've seen some really, really big injustices in the court system and our extended family has been extended by one.

    I like the saying about innocent until proven broke.

    The story about Couch makes me ill.


    LOL at the Arnold quote, that dirty... rat. :)

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    1. I mean 'affected' by one, lol. It didn't affect my typing, not sure who/what to blame for that one. :)

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    2. Sorry to hear someone in your extended family didn't get a fair shake in the court system. I could say the same about one of my cousins.

      When I make typos, I usually blame it on dyslexic fingers.

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  34. What a sad, sad state of affairs. I hope, though, that years and years from now, kids in school will laugh at us the way we laugh at the extravagance and waste of, say, the Nero-era Roman empire, or Marie Antoinette's excesses. I hope we--future generations, way more future than this kid's, that is--learn. You're right: no consequence, no lesson learned.

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  35. Money is only a problem when people view it as a worthy goal. It is simply one means to a worthy goal - or an unworthy one.

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    1. What a wonderful way to express it. (You should write a book or two... or thirteen.)

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  36. I agree wholeheartedly, Susan. This kid may have been raised to believe that wealth buys privilege, but at 16 he is old enough to know the difference between right and wrong, and therefore old enough to be held responsible for his actions. This is a disgrace. I hope to heaven the victims' families bring a civil suit.

    VR Barkowski

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    1. The only one I know about for sure is the family of the boy who's paralyzed for life. His medical costs are already in the neighborhood of a million dollars, and his family is suing for big bucks to cover his care.

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  37. This was an honest look at where we are today as a society. I'm sure this affluenza exists all over the world. Even more so in oil rich countries. Makes me sick. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer both in money and in equality. Blessings for sharing your thoughts on this. Hugs, Barb

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    1. It's a pretty scary look at where we are today, but I'm hoping we can "recalculate" and make our way back to a better, more just place.

      Hugs back atcha. I hope you're doing well.

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  38. I don't think money is the problem. It's the breeding.

    Interesting post.

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  39. First you struck a chord with Ivana Trump's carpet story. We had rust shag carpeting, and weren't allowed to go into our living room/ dining room, unless we raked it afterward. I hadn't heard the " affluenza" story before, and it's such an outrage. I can't imagine what the victim's families have gone through. Another thought-provoking post, Susan.

    Julie

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    1. I still have my shag rake. (You never can tell when they might come back into style.)

      Yes, it is an outrage. I imagine this whole thing has been a nightmare for the victims' families.

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  40. Having some pocket change is truly cool. And I believe it's a basic human right for someone to profit from their invention or idea. For me the trouble begins when the "rich" begin to see their positions along the lines as hereditary to the point they start speaking in terms that suggest they are God's chosen. Plus, and save the hate mail for someone who cares, but every individual owes a debt to society and based on their success pay taxes to support the greater good which means schools, roads, hospitals, and other important factors that helps everyone.

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  41. I do believe that most people don't realize that money really talks, threatens and kills. If one has enough it can buy anything one wants. Money very often corrupts. Hey, I'm a brittle old broad and I've seen enough. I've been the poorest of the poor and I've had a little jingling money in my pocket and neithe seems to be the ideal. If you're churchmouse poor, you envy others and if you have a little cash, others are always asking for it. I solved the problem. I gave all my money away except just enough for me to live modestly till I bite the dust. (Hope I haven't under-estimated....hahaha). With my luck, I'll probably now win the lottery and have to start all over again. Haha

    If Ivana T. doesn't like to like at footprints in the carpet, I hope she doesn't ever look behind her.

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    1. supposed to be ... If Ivana doesn't like to look...

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    2. If money's ever tried to talk to me, I didn't hear it, because I wasn't paying attention. (Story of my life!) Seriously, I simply never aspired to wealth. Not that I'd be unhappy if we ever hit the lottery big... but I wouldn't be any happier than I am right now. As for you, I hope you kept enough moolah to be comfortable for a long long time.

      Maybe Ivana only gets upset at the sight of OTHER people's footprints... (Of course, HER feet smell like roses.)

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  42. What I don't like is the rich people who pretend they are not rich. They feel ashamed to say that they are loaded. I'm not saying that I prefer the show-ofss, but at least with the Trumps of this world you know where you are. No, I'm talking abou thte ones who have more money than you have zeroes for and yet pretend they're as hard-up as Joe/Joanna Public. If you have it, flaunt it, I say, at least I can then criticise you! :-)

    Greetings from London.

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    1. I'm not a fan of, "If you've got it, flaunt it," but it would be pretty annoying to hear the filthy rich whine about how "poor" they are, too.

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  43. I never heard of Ethan Couch before. Wow, how sickening. He should've been slapped with every law and conviction out there. He seems like a psychopath who didn't learn a lesson.

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    1. Let's hope we're all wrong, and the judge actually knew what she was doing.

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  44. Last week I was having one of those weeks, where the rulings in favor of the Ethan Couches of the world were tearing at my insides. I cried out to God. And He actually sent me an answer. Am now unwilling to cede what peace has been granted. I do carry a conviction that every broken bone will be set right.

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    1. Sorry these things were tearing at your insides. We've gotta let go, and let God. I'm glad you've found your peace again.

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  45. I love that Arnold Schwarzenegger quote!

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  46. Oh wow, that story makes me ill. I get little "lovely" students occasionally who have affluenza and they make me nuts.

    Granted, someone could test and see if I'd have problems with too much wealth. I mean, in the name of science, right? ;)

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    1. How magnanimous of you, Meradeth! I tell ya, the things some people are willing to brave for the good of science...

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  47. Perhaps Ethan will eventually do something for which he will actually be severely punished? I believe that justice will happen, but through God, not by man.

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    1. Gee, I don't even want to think about him doing anything worse than killing four people and injuring all those others. He'll surely come to justice some day, but I hope he manages to turn his life around now, in spite of the court's failure to hold him accountable.

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  48. I did hear about this case and it is awful. No justice was served and the survivors and families of the dis-ceased must have felt very unimportant. I'm sure that this kid will screw up again sometime in the future and perhaps then will be held accountable, but it is all a shame.

    Kathy M.

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    1. You're right. It is awful, and it is a shame. My heart goes out to the families of the people who were killed, and to the family of the teenager who's now paralyzed for life.

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  49. I remember thinking all those thoughts when I heard about this on the news. I'm all for rehab, but there needs to be more.

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    1. And rehab in a country club setting, at that. The boy should be doing community service of some kind when he gets finished with his "vacation." He needs to learn both humility and empathy if he's going to turn his life around.

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  50. I think Affluenza is a very real problem. Money can't buy happiness!

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    1. No, money can't buy happiness, but I don't think it should be able to buy a free pass in the courtroom, either.

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  51. To build on an earlier comment, if the son was found unable to control his actions because he was raised to believe he didn't have to, then why can't we charge the parents as accomplices in his crimes?

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    1. Good question. If their poor parenting, in essence, is to blame for the boy's behavior, then I think they SHOULD be held accountable. No argument from me.

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  52. That is so deeply troubling, on so many levels. I hadn't heard the Couch story before (thanks for that, as well as for the rich tid-bits ... I wish I was rich enough to get carried around by a hunk) and I'm appalled. Certainly if the judge thought jail wouldn't do him any good, then, really, what's the point of him even being around? Perhaps a good, old-fashioned hanging would scare some sense into him and make up for those he killed and maimed.

    On another note, Susan, I wanted to thank you for your review of Green Eggs & Weezie. I hadn't been on Amazon for a while and have been rather depressed about how the book has been faring. But when I saw your beautiful words, I admit, I started to bawl. Thank you so much. Means the world.

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    1. Being carried around by a hunk would be slightly annoying. I'd much rather he did stuff like vacuum, scrub the kitchen floor, and clean the toilets. A hanging, huh? Sounds appropriate for Texas. Doesn't leave much wiggle room for rehabilitation, though...

      You're very welcome, Cathy. I honestly loved your book, and I know how much of a boost those reviews can be. Hang in there. Your book is gonna do GREAT.(Thanks for the thanks!)

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  53. Let me just say this. If that had of happened in NY, I don't think he would have gotten away with it. We had a case where a women - drunk - going down on the wrong side of a parkway, carrying her niece and other children, killed about 8 people. She's doing hard time now. Crouch case is amazing. Cheers!!

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    1. Go figure. And Texas is the state with the reputation for being the toughest on crime, too. Not this time!

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  54. I so agree with you - this was an INSANE defense/excuse! It made me so mad. You are right = we do not change/correct behavior without consequences! What money buys is freedom from consequences, and this is so dangerous! Excellent post.

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    1. It wasn't as insane for the defense to offer affluenza as an excuse as it was for the judge to accept it. Kinda like a quarterback throwing a sixty-yard hail Mary pass at the end zone and having it caught by a receiver who jumps three feet into the air and pulls the ball in from his fingertips.

      Well said.

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  55. Hi Susan - I'm late .. but been saving them so I could read them .. I hadn't heard of this case, but I 'obviously' have heard of the Justin thing .. I think we should punish people regardless of who they are - if they deserve it. Tough - parental upbringing and the standards of having much should present responsibility of the highest order.

    I get so upset at injustice ... Hilary

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    1. No such thing as being late when it comes to Blogger! I'm touched that you went back to "catch up" on earlier posts.

      Me, too. Injustice makes my blood boil. As for the rich, I think this quote is applicable: "To whom much is given, of him much will be required." Wealth should never put someone above the law and common decency.

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