It's eleven thirty on a Saturday morning and you know what is wrong with that? I'm awake. It's a sad state of affairs when you wake up and the first thing you think is "How many hours do I have to do homework? Can I get it all done?" This is my not so exciting life. Though, in defense of my life I did go out and get snookered for the birthday of a relative so I can't complain overly much.

That's not important, though. What is important is that I have now seen The Godfather and The Godfather II. I can almost hear the music in my head as I type that. I don't know that I will bother to watch the third one. The second was incredibly depressing and the third one sounded like it was just a study in misery. I've learned several scary things about myself, however: first) that if we started a grad student mob I would totally be the Don--somehow my classmates have avoided becoming slight sociopaths, something I haven't; second) that while the mob isn't a good thing because, you know, they kill you, organized crime isn't such a bad way for crime to exist. They don't kill women and children (at least not Don Vitto) and they rarely if ever kill a man in front of his family. You might be killed for "good business" but you're almost always given a chance to save yourself. You're bullied, yes, asked to sell out, yes, but given your life if you want it. Gangs are not nearly that polite. Thinking about all the shootings of teenagers and children when I lived in Boston, sometimes by accident, sometimes not, and thinking about all the shootings here in Las Vegas--there's no rhyme or reason to gang violence. You can't plan for it or avoid it. Now obviously, when the mob goes to war with itself the rules change a little bit, people get sloppy, but gangs are always at war. The one thing the news doesn't exaggerate (so it often just doesn't report it) is how bad inner-city violence is. Anyway, that's my diatribe on my preferred criminal activity.

My other thought is how much like a warrior society the mob is made out to be in these movies. A lot of what they do is heartless and without compassion, but it's always for the best of whatever familial unit is acting. Really the reason why the mob is so repugnant is that they are a society within our society. We're taught not to like that, probably for good reason. But as I consider all the things mafia does that is so horrible--gun-running, drugs, slavery/prostitution--it occurs to me that two of those things our government currently does and the third we used too (and still allow at least the prostitution part in places). My point here is not to sing the praises of the mob, but more to point out that our government, and maybe most, is not nearly as different as we would all like to believe. Which is, admittedly, a depressing thought. I blame it on all the homework I've done this weekend.

Oh what is my point? I wish I knew. In between homework bouts I've been watching Boston Legal which is an absolutely fabulous show, but also prone to prompting heavy ethical/moral thoughts. That's not good for my lightheartedness. I can't think of any right now, though I have begun to think on a person's right to a fair trial and just how much I didn't believe that before now. Like everyone, of course, I believed that everyone should get a fair trial, but when I would watch shows, movies, or live cases on television with an obvious villain I would rejoice when the defense lawyer was outclassed. Or, if the defense won I was horrified at how broken the justice system was.

But Boston Legal offers another look. A look at someone's right to be defended fairly; even if they did it, even if you don't want them to go free, they have a right to prove reasonable doubt if they so choose. Kind of like free speech, it's at least, if not more, important that you fight for the people you hate because otherwise it isn't actually free. I have very mixed feelings about the justice system and that could be a discussion in and of itself, perhaps I will attempt to express them later, but for I'm not quite ready to put all of that in words. In any case, I am glad I've had opportunity to think about this fair trial business and realize my prejudice. There's also a fabulous episode on torture that is worthy of some talk as well.

Ah, now the thoughts come. Obviously I am awake. But it's time for me to read more feminist theory, become enraged and write a response paper. Maybe if you're really lucky I'll make you privy to that rage too.

Until then, I bid you adieu.