Villians into Heroes

The day following a three day weekend, a national holiday and the post office has a line out the door. Nothing unusual about that but you would think that after all these years they would expect to be that busy and have more than two people working the counter. Most everyone in front of me acted as if they had never mailed a package before; heck one lady expected the post office person to fill out all her address information for her. Another person could not figure out the change of address card and yet another stood for an agonizing 5 or 6 minutes trying to decide whether to put insurance on his package. To top it all off, in walk a mother and child. The child was very well behaved; the mother never shut up. She was too worried he would do something I suppose.
Animal Planet has been running the Michael Vick fiasco quite a bit lately. The way America celebrates pro athletes and political figures, Michael Vick will probably return to a life, after serving his sentence, as a sportscaster on national television or maybe play for another team. Think it can’t happen? Think again. Remember Oliver North of Iran-Contra fame? Accused of selling weapons illegally to Iran, laundering money, indicted on 16 felony counts and convicted of three. Yes, the sentence was later vacated and when the prosecution tried to appeal to the Supreme Court, they refused to hear the case. Hum, wonder why? North was also under suspicion of drug trafficking. Today he is a well know political commentator appearing on major networks, a best selling author and sometimes guest on television in dramatic series.
Then there is G. Gordon Liddy who along with E. Howard Hunt masterminded the first break-in of Watergate. He was suspected and indicted on charges of political espionage, sabotage, handling slush funds and illegal wiretapping and later convicted and sentenced to 20 years. He served 2.5 years. He is now a talk show host and political strategist. He has appeared in television shows such as Miami Vice, a best selling author and made a mint on the lecture circuit.
Liddy’s partner in crime, E. Howard Hunt, was convicted of burglary, conspiracy, and illegal wiretapping. Sentenced and served only 33 months and became a best selling author. Yet Pete Rose gambled was kicked out of his chance for the hall of fame and humiliated for the rest of his life. Where is the justice in that and which crime is more damning, betraying your country or your baseball team?
Some political figures are condemned for life for having extra-marital affairs. Koby Bryant is still a superstar athlete. Michael Jordan was under investigation for gambling yet he is still a hero to kids. And who can forget O. J. Simpson? Although Simpson did not return to a life of fame, some involved in his trial did. Mark Furman lied on the witness stand, used racial epithets, was disgraced as a police officer and some think, planted evidence and is now a crime consultant on national television and a best selling author. Only in America can a “criminal” make it big especially if they are male. Who even remembers the prosecutor’s name in the Simpson trial?
Back to political figures the infamous Karl Rove can not be overlooked. Rove was up to his dirty tricks as far back as the early 70’s and has had a connection to the Bush family since he was 19. Where is he now? Why, he is a political commentator on a national news network. I find it strange that committing crimes can bring notoriety and fame yet having an affair can condemn a person for life.
It is so sad that Palmetto House went down in flames. It was exciting to see the place come back to life after sitting idle for so long and see the smiles of the faces of the clientele. Those poor people from North Augusta Country Club must think they are jinxed in some way. After the club burned it seems a deal was struck with Palmetto House to take their employees and open the restaurant in order to entertain club members, guests and businessmen and now this. They say lightening doesn’t strike in the same place twice.