Quick Identification Guide

[unixronin]

A quick-reference identification guide for those unclear on the concepts:

Tea party

Deranged killer

Any questions?

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I do, actually, have a related question from the BBC article sourcing the Loughner photo above:

When asked, [Loughner] said he understood that he could get life in prison or the death penalty for allegedly killing federal Judge John Roll on Saturday in Tucson, Arizona.

Mr Loughner was charged with five crimes - the attempted assassination of a member of Congress, the first degree murder of two federal employees and the attempted murder of two federal employees.

Not even a mention, it appears, of the nine-year-old girl he also killed, or the dozen or more people wounded.

So, explain something to me here.  Why should it be that the murder of a Federal employee is a distinct, and more serious, crime from the murder of anyone else?  No personal disrespect to Judge Roll, but ... does their shit magically stop stinking when they get a Federal appointment, or something?¹

More to the point, are the rest of us second-class citizens who don't matter as much or have less rights?²  Because if we are, there's something very badly wrong.  This is the United States of America.  We're not supposed to have an aristocracy.

"All pigs are equal, only some are more equal than others."

Photo links courtesy of writerspleasure

[1] Not singling out judges here; I'm asking this question about all Federal employees, appointees or elected officials.  They are not better than us; they are "us" ... or they're supposed to be.  Too many appear to forget that.

[2] Yes, this is a rhetorical question. Yes, I'm quite well aware of the answer. Are you?

Comments

[beckyzoole]

Oh, absolutely, you are correct. However, that is not an issue in this case at all. Murder is a state offense. Murder charges are normally brought in a state court.

However, murder of a federal official is a federal offense, and so charges are brought in a federal court.

Loughner has been charged in federal court for murder of two federal officials (a congressional aide and a federal judge) as well as attempted murder of two other federal officials (a second congressional aide and Rep. Giffords).

If the state of Arizona so chooses, it may charge him in state court for the murder and attempted murder of 15 other people. Arizona may decide to save the money and not do that unless something bizarre happens at the federal trial.

It's not a question of which jurisdiction is better. It's just that the feds brought charges first.