Tell Me Lies
Fake facts create a dire situation for victims: How does lying help women and children who are being victimized ["Weird Science," Nick Pinto, Feature, 3/23]? As much as we (society) want to help individuals whose lives are being destroyed by prostitution and slavery, it is a terrible misstep by those we trust — the Women's Funding Network and others — who create fake statistics to further their cause. Because now we wonder, who we can trust? If they are lying about their statistics and facts, then we have to ask ourselves, what else are they lying about? As someone who heard the stories and believed the numbers, this makes me feel mad and foolish, and I believe that it only victimizes the women and children again.
LibertyBelle
Web Comment
Oh, the web they weave: Why does this surprise anyone? As my high school math teacher once told me, there are: lies, damn lies, and statistics. The people coming out with the numbers, even with accurate data, can skew them any way they want, never mind create bogus stacked numbers. These bums should be hauled back and charged with perjury, and Congress members publicly shamed for believing such cockamamie numbers, and the individuals who ask these bozos [for numbers should] be barred from doing so in the future.
Name Withheld
Web Comment
Fudging the numbers: People have been known to fudge "statistics" for many years. It's a fact. And I wonder, when it comes to sex offender statistics, is the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and other organizations fudging the numbers? John Walsh [America's Most Wanted host] has been known for pulling "statistics" out of thin air.
SOIssues
Web Comment
Reforming Family Court
Two paths to the same goal: I strongly agree with state Sen. [Mark] Leno's concerns, as well as, with his proposal "to push the judiciary toward reform" ["More Order in Family Court," Peter Jamison, Sucka Free City, 3/23]. I support whatever it takes to make judges follow the law and make family courts accountable to the other two branches of government and most importantly, to the people they are paid to serve.
Individual judges are supposed to be "independent," which means they are not permitted to rule in accord with political or personal allies and/or agendas or against political or personal foes; also, judicial "independence" does not entitle judges to exercise authority independent of the law. The principle of judicial independence does not make the judiciary independent; it is but one of three branches of government that are to keep checks and balances on one another and answer to the people.
The lack of accountability of judges and the courts must be addressed by legislation. Existing judicial conduct commissions should be dissolved, judges who refuse to follow the law must be removed, and criminal acts committed by judges should be prosecuted.
tld
Web Comment
Blog Comment of the Week
In response to a blog post about a SOMA District neighbor complaining about the noise at Slim's: What really bothers me is that S.F. is backing this person [complainant Jeanmarie Guenot]. The city isn't backing a money- or job-generating club, nor is it backing its own rules and regulations ["Slim's Liquor License Temporarily Suspended Due to Neighbor Complaints," Ian Port, All Shook Down, 3/21]. Shame on S.F. (and the police) for bowing down to one person's complaint, a complaint she doesn't even have a right to make. If you put your hand in the fire and get burned, you can't blame the fire.
Sad in SF
Web Comment
