The more I thought about it today the angrier I became. I never expected to write a post about Paris Hilton on this blog. I’m incensed whenever mainstream media thinks that her life is worth reporting to the masses, especially in light of the real events in our world that go ignored. She is a harbinger of the Assault on Reason. But finally, today, Paris became relevant to me. TMZ.com has had the best blow-by-blow on the internet:
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Paris Hilton’s medical condition was purely psychological and that she was in peril of having a nervous breakdown, and that’s why she was released early this morning.
Psychiatrist Charles Sophy visited Hilton in jail yesterday and the day before. We’re told after Sophy’s visit yesterday, word was passed to the Sheriff that Hilton’s mental state was fragile and she was at risk.
The reason for releasing her had nothing to do with a rash or other physical issues. It was purely in her head. [Link]
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And the breakdown of our society is complete. Just think about this for a minute (if you haven’t been already). A rich white girl was convicted of being a drunk driver and sent to jail. She was convicted even after making use of the best lawyers that money could buy and having full and transparent use of the American legal system. After three days she gets out because prison was too much for her fragile mind and she wasn’t eating well. Meanwhile, you have so-called “enemy combatants,” some of them South Asian, who in many cases don’t get a lawyer or even get to hear the evidence against them. They are simply thrown into a cage. Not only do they not receive a get-out-of-jail-free card for mental illness, they get tortured in a manner meant to hasten mental illness. Even children. I know some of you think it might be unfair of me to compare Hilton to Guantanamo inmates. You are quite correct. The Guantanamo inmates have only allegedly committed a crime. And what about the thousands of non-rich women and juveniles in the American legal system? Many get raped or assaulted in prison without any justice. They don’t get to go home with an ankle bracelet if they cry about it or don’t eat the soggy vegetables on their plates. Mental illness is very real and shouldn’t be treated lightly (but it is unless you are rich). What we are witnessing here is a perfect example of the “Two Americas” that candidate John Edwards is always going on about.
This past week there has been a furious immigration debate around what some in Congress were calling the “Grand Bargain.” As of today the bill is dead. The reason many lawmakers give for opposing the bill is because they believe that in America the rule of law should come first. If illegal immigrants are breaking the law then they should get no concessions or amnesty (like, ummm Hilton). Other groups wanted the bill to fail because they saw it as a battle between the skilled and the unskilled (which can be translated to mean a battle between the potentially rich vs. the potentially poor). Why give an “unfair advantage” to poor huddled masses?:
Indian American legal experts and immigrant rights activists across the board have strongly opposed and rejected the comprehensive Immigration Reform Act 2007.
The compromise arrived at between the White House and the US Senate over the proposed Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act has been termed as a “sell out” by the Senate in the “grand bargain”…These are the worst set of immigration policies for high skilled immigrants in the civilized world.” According to Immigration Voice, the Senators that have crafted the new merit based system have announced that this model follows the legal immigration pathway developed in Canada and Australia, but the compromises that have been made have deluded the entire system into a cesspool of half baked immigration ideas. This bill takes away annual Greencards from an already low number of Greencards available to legal, skilled employment based immigrants and awards them to unskilled future guest workers and to the new untested merits based points system, as explained by Immigration Voice.
As an example, an agriculture worker can earn 25 points for working 100 days a year for 5 years, while a skilled individual will get 10 points for working the same number of years. [Link]
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p>First off, the above article is a misleading load of crap. Especially the part I put in boldface. There are many South Asian Americans that wanted this bill dead (or modified) for reasons opposite to the ones listed above. A purely merit-based system might tear apart families and discriminate against unskilled labor (which many would argue America needs to stay productive). Again, it is the haves vs. the have nots.
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p>So that brings me back to Paris Hilton. She is the tipping point. What she demonstrates is that as a society we are comfortable with two sets of rules and values: one for the rich and one for the poor, and that this often translates to “one for the natives and one for the foreigners.” If these are all signs of things to come and America strays too far from its egalitarian roots and the principles upon which it was founded (but has never practiced perfectly)…then we will all have more than Paris to worry about. We must throw Paris back into jail and simultaneously afford some real justice to those that deserve a fair trial.
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p>There is some hope at the 11th hour:
TMZ has learned that a judge has ordered Paris Hilton back to his Los Angeles courtroom, telling her she must attend tomorrow morning’s hearing. She could be sent BACK to the slammer!… [Link]
i can’t believe she’s been csught on tape using the n-word twice and even al sharpton still kowtows to her.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070608/ap_en_ce/paris_hilton
A dual society is what Karl Marx talked about a couple of centuries ago. The haves and the have nots. Unfortunately, every society ( regardless of continent) has an insider and an outsider. It is just that the USA and other “white” countries preach about having the same set of rules for everyone but the reality is markedly different.
A points based system is inherently fairer than a family based one. After all being born in a particular family is an accident. At least a points based system gives some people the opportunity to climb out of a hell hole.
But then I am biased as I have benefited from a points based system.
I don’t think dual society is anything new in American society, or any society for that matter. Its just that with Paris its more in the face.
To be fair to Paris Hilton, it would be relevant to look ar how many DUI cases result in early withdrawal from prison? It is unfair to compare her to other people in seperate prisons because the crime, or the crime they are accused of committing is far more serious. Not that I feel Guantanamo inmates are treated fairly, just that comparing their case to Paris’ here is comparing Apples to Oranges and not relevant.
I would strongly suspect that the answer, especially for low-income folks, is VERY FEW.
Abhi, I’m totally with you on this one. The “Poor Paris is going to jail!” thing has been a total spectacle and a blatant reminder of how ridiculous our society is, particularly around criminal justice. What other inmates get separated in solitary confinement? (Which is generally not good for you, but used if you are a danger to yourself or if others are a danger to you) I hope the judge throws her ass back in jail.
Hmm, care to elaborate? Or if we are just making broad statements without any substantial backup except for some vague site,then I think that the above statement was a load of crap, for a lot of reasons! First of all rather then looking at it as a war between have and have not’s, look at it as a war between followers of law and brekers of law. If a few hundred thousand people have a desire to immigrate, who go through a lot of crap to maintain legal status, (including their perfectly employable spouses not working for years), who pay taxes, who dont take any kind of welfare benefits, who actually get a drivers licence and pay for insurance, whose kids “generally” do not become gangbangers, whose kids grow up and become journalists,astronauts and create thought provoking blogs . If they want to become a resident here and who expect no special treatment but an equal treatment for immigration then whats wrong with that???
The current bill said that any illegal alien gang member can have immediate legal status if he ticks a piece of paper saying that he renounces the gang activity and can have work permit in weeks, but a legal guy will rott in the backlog hell for years. Think about it, and tell me where is the justice . I want the millions of poor illegal immigrants to have a chance, hundred of thousand of family members of citizens to have a chance. But where is my chance????
By the way, Paris Hilton this is so despicable , but even more despicable is a sort of “I knew it will happen” resignation among folks. It seems unequal treatment is getting the same acceptance as the corruption back home!
hmmm…some people just need an excuse to talk about Paris 😉 …
Sarah Silverman cracks up the Hollywood crowd with Paris Hilton in the audience. It is awesome to watch her squirm while desperately trying to keep her game face on. Of course, this public appearance was hours before she was going to show up in jail!
As for the latest shenanigans, I love that the city is wondering whether they should hold the Sherriff in contempt for releasing her. Paris, we just don’t je t’aime.
Rocky (LA City Attorney) and Zev (LA County Board of Supervisors) are not happy…Kinda weird seeing them all over the news speaking out on this…
In oddly parallel theme, I’m reading Voices From the Storm, a an oral history of Katrina victims. I just got to the part where the jail guards abandoned the prisoners and the water was rising while inmates were locked in cells. You know what happened next. The inequity is astounding.
People in LA are NOT happy about the Paris thing one bit. But no one is surprised.
What Gitmo, Martha Stewart never had it that good– although she can’t claim to be anorexic. I guess they didn’t want a dead Hilton on their hands…
Poor little rich white girl. [SARCASM]
Its the most popular story on cnn right now. When was the last time you saw the US so worked up about something serious. Though I have to admit I admire her: I find her unapologetic attitude towards her own shallowness and stupidity quite liberating.
If there’s one thing you can repeatedly count on. From Marilyn Monroe, to Pam Anderson, even to this girl, is their protective, obsessive, infatuation with the blonde woman.
Paris Hilton is a symbolic representation of our own hypocrisy. Our desire to be known, without effort. Our desire to be loved, without pain. Our desire to be noticed, without doing anything noticeable. Like the “crow” was Eric Draven’s link to the world of the living, Paris is our link to a world of fantasy. When Paris’s mugshot came out – it was just too real.
This is my blond heartthrob. Say it with me now, that’s hotttt!
I wonder… in countries where there are still rich and powerful landowners, do their serfs regard them with the awe and admiration reserved for celebrities?
“There goes the Missus in her limousine! She’s so pretty. God bless her!” “Shut up and go back to work, peasant scum!” [whipcrack] 🙁
Psychiatrist Charles Sophy visited Hilton in jail yesterday and the day before. We’re told after Sophy’s visit yesterday, word was passed to the Sheriff that Hilton’s mental state was fragile and she was at risk.
I believe that this is the origin of the word sophism.
Maybe mental illness is the new American equivalent of the Indian politician’s chest pain?
To HMF in post #13: To be fair, I don’t think “blonde women” obsession is a mark of privilege of blonde people as much as a type of subordination of blonde people to brunettes in America. It’s a gendered integration that feminizes blondes since they’re a hair minority. I think it’s similar to the gendered integration of east asians. It’s worth noting because there’s not a clear gendered integration of desis yet, and it’s something I think those who care about desi men should actively work to counter-act. For every Mississippi Masala I think it’s in our interest to have a The Namesake out there.
Abhi, she’s being released early so that she can fulfill her commitment to play Mother Teresa in Bollywood.
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Dave; Dave; Is that You? I get your point: with at least one of the “Namesake” pairing’s blond hair is still a possibility. With that Mississippi Mix- all hope might be lost. I see how you might be
threatened,concerned.Take heart. I’m pretty sure both of the “Simple Life” celebrities have a passing familiarity with L’Oreal. Just think for under $12.00 you too can be blond!
Ay, pobrecitaaa! I have known many people who were and ARE locked up and they were/are in serious need of mental health assistance yet remain locked up. What gives? It’s not like she’s the only one in jail suffering. Everybody in jail is.
Tummy hurts? Cramps?
If only it were that easy for the rest of us.
Psychiatrist Charles Sophy visited Hilton in jail yesterday and the day before. We’re told after Sophy’s visit yesterday, word was passed to the Sheriff that Hilton’s mental state was fragile and she was at risk
Look. This is why we have suicide watch and health wards in jail. She even had a cell to herself FFS, which is a luxury sometimes because of lack of privacy.
I really don’t get why people just can’t man up do their damned time.
Sure, because you always pay million dollars for people to act, who have no acting talent…. to brunettes, right?
All I want to know is:
How many people have died in Iraq ever since this story knocked everything else off the front pages?
They’re not releasing Paris necessarily because she’s rich. Rich people have gone to jail before, and celebrities have gone to jail (someone’s already mentioned Martha, and of course there’s the Enron crowd).
They’re releasing Paris because keeping her in the spotlight makes money for other people.
That’s the only “currency of worth” in this country.
I know all about the “two Americas” that we all live in. I think my elder brother lives in one (the good one) and I unfortunately live in the other.
This case is just one more example of no justice in this world. This could have easily happened any where in the world. The super rich fat cats have some perks!
Just like Sanjay Dutt is gonna be released on probation even tho the two people who brought and then took the guns from him are being sentenced 10yrs.
Guantanomo detainees are not american citizens. Any american citizen among them is immediately transferred to a US prison and is given the full slate of rights of americans. The detainees are also not criminals. They are prisoners of war and yet they still receive full legal protections. Witness the case of Omar Khadr. Would the charges have been thrown out if he was not receiving a fair trial?
I do find it amusing that Paris was let out because she wasn’t eating. When did she eat in the first place? And I completely agree that she should not have been released but her situation should only be compared with that of any other american who gets stuck in the same situation.
seriously, i’m not sure sending her to jail would serve any purpose in reforming her, though it would send a message to society about treating offenders equally. is her license still suspended?
jeet – i think that is how it’s going to go for sanjay dutt. however, i think he was one of the very few out of the whole bunch who was not convicted under TADA – i.e. he was deemed not to have terrorist intent re his involvement. i read that he and the others who were not convicted under TADA were the only ones who could seek probation, and none of them have been up for sentencing yet. contrastingly, the ones who have been convicted so far have been deemed terrorists undr TADA. this could explain the differential.
Maybe a prison sentence wasn’t right for Hilton. I am unsure even though that may be the consequence for multiple DUI charges.
She should do serious community service for free and a very long time (like picking up litter in public parks, helping the less fortunate, cleaning public schools and commodes in inner city communities, etc.) at the very least.
Why? Up until this administration started locking up “enemy combatants”, the law didn’t treat non-citizens different from citizens.Why should American convicts deserve better treatment than non-American ones.
Thanks for this post ! It is truly so sickening to watch this famous-for-being-famous celebrity’s life being documented all over the news channels, next to such ‘unimportant news’ like ‘twin baghdad bombers kill 25’. At least if they had separate entertainment sections where these stupid hilton headlines don’t compete with serious matters, that would be fair. But on most news channels, all these headlines compete for attention in the same space… and it drives me crazy to see such a ‘mugshot’ if you can call it that, splashed all over.
As for hilton, I am hoping that our faith in justice will be restored when the court orders her back to jail. ‘Unspecified medical problem’ my ass!
What really irks me is that there are thousands of inmates in the federal and state penal systems in the US who have serious mental health issues, but those issues did not prevent their conviction, or their ultimate incarceration…in some cases, years of incarceration. That these inmates are mostly poor and from minority groups is very telling.
Two Americas, for sure.
I remember watching TV and someone was saying that the Governor of California, Arnold, was considering giving her a pardon? or something like that so that she wouldn’t have to go to jail.
The Paris Hilton prison diaries, Great read!
Technically I should be excused from work then for..
unspecified medical problem = I don’t wanna be here.
It’s interesting how the people most complaining about the existence of “two Americas” are the first ones to recommend ‘proportionate punishment’ and special punishments for people like Paris so that she may be ‘reformed’. Unless there is some evidence of Sophy or Baca having been on the take, there are no grounds for suspecting their professional judgments. There’s probably precedent for their actions and even the Judge will find it uncomfortable today to lean either way.
“My message to those who don’t like celebrities is that punishing celebrities more than the average American is not justice,” Baca said.
Gitmo is a whole new ball of wax.
We’ve always treated prisoners of war or enemy combatants as separate. The idea of treating them the same is a recent development. In World War II, 8 German saboteurs were caught on US soil. They were subjected to a military tribunal and summarily sentenced to death. They did not get the full set of rights that and due process that US citizens get. The US Supreme Court upheld this as constitutional. In the past, we’ve have not treated non-citizens as we would citizens.
Did you alll see? Bush called in sick too.
It’s interesting how the people most complaining about the existence of “two Americas” are the first ones to recommend ‘proportionate punishment’ and special punishments for people like Paris so that she may be ‘reformed’
I’m not saying that Paris deserves to be punished more than non-celebrities in the same situation. I do think she deserves to be punished at least as much as those in the same situation. I have no doubt that Sophy rendered an opinion based on his reasonable professional judgment, but low-income inmates who undergo psychiatric evaluation aren’t typically allowed to return home until their sentence is up. Isn’t this a reflection that Paris is getting off relatively easily, and mostly because she’s uber-wealthy and famous?
But Abhi??…what did you think about the Kitchen Sisters story of NASA food in space on Morning Edition yesterday?
Reminds me of the scene in the godfather when michael turns to the police chief..”How much is the turk paying you off to set up my father…..” I wonder how big the check was Paris’ family wrote? 500 grand, a mil? One can only guess…
Great post Abhi. I hope they stick her arse back in the slammer.
“Thanks for this post ! It is truly so sickening to watch this famous-for-being-famous celebrity’s life being documented all over the news channels, next to such ‘unimportant news’ like ‘twin baghdad bombers kill 25′”
Randomizer, Stories like Paris, Lohan, etc exist to sedate the public. It benefits the elite who cultivate a herd of docile consumers while the world slowly decays…But then again I buy the limited edition Jordans just like everyone else.
And, and, Baca extended her home-based confinement back to 45 days.
Do you want to go with soundbytes/emotions or facts?
I think your understandable outrage at Hilton’s favorable treatment will get lost in a rather disjoinyted attempt to link it to treatment at Guantanamo or the current immigration bill. From the admittedly limited amount I’ve seen on various news outlets, the blame lies mostly with the local sheriff – the judge and prosecutors argued against any shortening of the sentence. But this sheriff is pretty cozy with celebrities.
As for the immigration bill, my chief complaint is that the U.S. does not need thousands of unskilled laborers. On the one hand, we are told that in order to earn a living, you have to get educated and get skills, because unskilled jobs are leaving the U.S. and not coming back. Yet, you have American poultry producers, agri-business that are addicted to cheap Mexican labor. So, it seems that there is a demand for unskilled labor – but big business does not want to pay for it. So, while local governments have to pay for school, health, occasional incarceration, the beneficiaries of this wave of unskilled immigration do not have to contribute a dime. It is kind of hard to argue that you want to improve the lot of the working class, when you also want to flood the labor market with unskilled labors, forcing their price to go down.
Second, the joke of the 2-year worker visa. Germany’s experience with Turkish temp laborers in the sixties is approppriate – “We wanted workers, but we got people.” Does anyone believe that these men and women who come here for 2 years will just work and do nothing else? Not meet someone and get married? Or get pregnant?
Third – the point system. While trying to copy the Canadian model of seeking out highly skilled immigrants is a good idea, I have no faith in the federal government to be able to gauge the skill level of an applicant. How is a civil servant, working at an American consulate in India, China, or Vietnam going to be able to tell how good an engineer or doctor someone is. Plus, from a small business perspective – I don’t need to add another government agency to the alphabet sou of agencies I already deal with. I would argue that small businesses need this immigrant talent more than the Ciscos, Dells, or Apples of the world – because they have the deep pockets to offer the benefits package to American-born workers that many small businesses cannot. From my self-interest – I need more engineers, not day laborers.
Immigration is a benefit to the U.S., but it is unfair to saddle the costs of it to groups that face the greatest competition from it. Unless big business and the feds are willing to shoulder some of that cost, their promises to fix the current system seem insincere.
glass houses @43, anyone that quotes from godfather is the shit in my book. i know the entire dialogue from that movie. and i pictured the scene you quoted the second i read that.
Because of overcrowding in Los Angeles County jails, release criteria now call for female offenders to be freed after serving 10% of their projected sentence.
Yes, I was aware of that, and frankly, why even bother with the psychiatric evaluation, if sending her home in 4 days would have been par for the course?
The way the media reports the story, it certainly seems as if Hilton is being given some sort of a reprieve because she’s a psychological mess and prison is simply too tough for her. The facts are a lot harder to find when they’re drowned out by the soundbites, if you will. Even the overwrought publicity over Hilton’s conviction is unnecessary, if you ask me.
On another note, if LA County jails are so crowded, perhaps changes in sentencing rather than early release programs are the way to go?
I wonder where the outrage was when Lost star Michelle Rodriguez who was to do 60 days in jail for a DUI, was released the same day she checked into the LA jail due to overcrowding. I wonder if Rodriguez get off cause she was Puerto Rican.
Also in the new section there was yet another story about the way young sikh’s girls are being harrassed by muslim men in England. It seems like there have been at least half dozen articles put in the last couple of months about this problem. I think that issue is alot more important to people here then Paris Hilton. I would love to see somebody blog about that issue.