"I don't see and American Dream; I see an American nightmare" (Malcolm X)
In March of last year I was falsely pulled over by an LAPD officer and ticketed for a violation which would cost me 500 dollars if I decided not to fight it. I decided to fight it.
Six months later I find myself at the Metropolitan Court House in downtown LA. I go to park. It costs 9 dollars. I then go to enter the courthouse itself for my arraignment. The cue stretches around the block twice. I am told in no uncertain terms that if I miss my arraignment it is my problem and I would have to suffer the consequences. Luckily my utter mistrust of the "justice" system meant I was there hours early anyway so I stood in line and waited...and waited...and waited.
THREE HOURS LATER I was allowed entrance into the courthouse. I then had to sit for another three hours in a courtroom before I was allowed to stand before a judge, be read my case and say the words "not guilty". However I still had to pay my 'bail amount' in full otherwise, I was told, I would be classed as skipping bail, thus negating my right to a fair trial. So I was forced, this despite being entirely 100% innocent of any violation, to put 500 dollars on my credit card.
A month after that (December 10th, 2010) I had to go again to stand trial. Another 9 dollars for parking, another long wait as the judge systematically handed out punishment to 98% of the people in the room and another frustrating experience. That was until I was finally called to the stand. I won with ease as the case was utterly fraudulent in the first place. My joy was almost unbridled, at least for about half a minute before the judge informed me that my reimbursement would take 6-8 weeks. 6-8 weeks?!
It takes two seconds for them to remove the money, money which I have worked hard for, from my account. Yet it takes them two months to return it? To me? An innocent man found so by a court of law.
That 8 weeks has now been and gone and still there is no sign of my money. I have spent countless time listening to automated responses, listening to empty dial-tones and being put on hold only to eventually find out that my cheque will in fact be taking another 4-6 weeks to come through for no reason other than what was described to me as a "backlogue". When I furiously, and quite rightly protested this I was instantly, without explanation, put back on hold. As I write this I have been on hold for 16 minutes, 11 seconds and counting.
This entire process has made me see just how hypocritical, brutal and unjust the judicial system is...and to think, this is for a traffic violation. I shudder to think what would happen on a more serious charge. It just so happens also that I am a fortunate middle class whiteboy with the financial means to hop over these obstacles. By which I mean, I can put 500 dollars on a credit card and I won't starve while waiting to get it back. However, 90% of people I came across in that courthouse were certainly not middle class, well-to-do, white chappies from England, but poor as shite downtown residents. How are they expected to deal with such a financial loss? To some, most in fact, people from one of the poorest districts in LA, five hundred dollars is alot of money. Oh wait that's right, no-one gives a shit. It's their problem.
I was born in a democratic nation, I migrated to a democratic nation. We are both allied in our beliefs of freedom, liberty and justice for all, or some bollocks. From where I'm standing, the whole core of democracy is that it's supposed to be based on fairness and humanity. We are supposed to have a voice. As I'm sitting here, listening to the intermittent beeping of my phone still on hold (19 mins, 46 secs & counting) I'm wondering if this whole situation seems fair at all...and where exactly my voice is supposed to be heard?
The answer is almost to grim to bear.
Peace and love,
JB.
P.S - I'm still on hold.
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