Last week I offered up a short late-night rant about the absurd excesses of the government’s unceasing efforts to bring Barry Bonds to justice for the incalculable wrongs he has wrought against society. This week, writing for the Root, Zack Burgess agrees with me — though he does so much more eloquently, the jerk:
No one should lie under oath, but this is ridiculous. The prosecution’s star witnesses: a mistress, a former business partner and a boyhood friend who refuses to testify. I’m sure the federal government has issues far more pressing than to spend a few million dollars to imprison Bonds.
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Last year, while visiting a colleague in New Jersey, I drove through neighborhoods of multimillion-dollar homes owned by financial executives who had crashed our economy and scooped up nice bonuses in the bargain. These guys were mowing their lawns and playing catch with their kids. I find that far more offensive than anything Bonds could ever say or do. And as a taxpayer, I would much rather see my money spent punishing their misdeeds. When I look at my wallet, Bonds didn’t make it thinner. These guys did.
The deeper question is, with two wars (at least), an economy in flux and a plethora of domestic issues, why doesn’t the government just walk away and save taxpayers millions? Someone once said to me, “The best sign of maturity is the ability to walk away from the deal.” The damage has been done. Despite his greatness, Bonds’ character is in ruins. It could not have happened to a (not so) nicer guy.
(If you read the article, you’ll see that Mr. Burgess better cause than most to call for both Bonds’ head and his shrunken testicles, so the fact that even he can see the reason in ditching this farce of a trial is strong testimony in favor of its absurdity.)
