Parallel Law

[Antipodi]

Parallel Law

Michael, he came from the wrong side of Town
He broke the Law so he was goin down
His crime was speeding 200 Kilometres per hour
So he should cause he broke the law
He knew the risks , he got the score
Sent him to jail and he paid a fine
For a whole 3 months he was doin his time

Parallel Law, Parallel Law
Serve the Rich and subdue the Poor
Parallel Law is the way it is
Corruption to highest bidder
Whilst the poor suffer the shame
Parallel Law is a rich mans game

Tony, his dad was a Billionaire
Drove the BMW fast, 200 on the Road
He went to court and pleaded guilty
He was so sorry and the Judge smiled
“This boy is a credit” the Judge he said
Fine him 200 dollars and don’t do it again
Tony was happy for he was free

Parallel Law , Parallel Law
How long can this go on, it such a disgrace
Parallel Law , Parallel Law
We need equality lets pick up the pace
Don’t pander to the Rich
Cause power corrupts
How can we respect what we see as unfair

It’s time to look closely at who makes the law
Time to give the law to the people
Not the small majority Rich anymore
We only ask for equality
Not the power of the buck
Cause to the silent majority
The Law we don’t respect
It’s a question of reason
Just what do you expect.

[sunday]

This is absolutely true. When I was younger, I did work experience at the Melbourne Magistrates Court. I saw your poem, every day.

I have come to disagree entirely with the law. Or more exactly- entirely with contemporary government. (Even worse was modern government, but at least we had peace rallies)

I believe however the main problem here, shown in your last paragraph, is in fact education.
I was blessed to get a place in a selective girls public. But that wasn't after years in a regional co-ed public. It is this simple: public schools lack funding. Without resources (and frankly- without pride) the schools students suffer. Their marks suffer. And so they do not enter into university after school. And therefore the poor remain poor.
Private schools are dazzlingly equipped, ordered and competitive. The capable student won't just succeed but excel, and will have the opportunity to enter into the better of the universities. And so the rich remain rich.

Those who become magistrates have had the very best of educations. The most expensive. It is highly probable that the majority of magistrates have come from elite families.

And naturally, a person will always sympathize with a similarly born man.

[Antipodi]

Sadly the truth is stranger than fiction ....I believe we need the law to protect us all from crime which is very prevalent in or society ...yet some laws are directly made to protect the rich from the poor the act of fines inconvenience the rich ....but can devastate a poor families income and yet they keep raising the cost ...sentencing also can be biased towards the rich ...many getting lenient sentences because of who they know rather than what they need to know...

[k2hsharpe]

Unfortunately I think sunday is correct. Here in NSW I've read that many private schools receive public funds at a rate per student far in excess of some of the poorest public schools. The wealthy and priveleged always seem to accumulate resources at an inequitable rate. And use it to protect their priveleged status. One of the tools they use to do this is the law.

I knew a lawyer once who told me that Australian Law was based on English Law, and that the way English Law evolved has meant that it is 90% about protection of property and only 10% about individual rights. Australian law reflects this - I can't imagine we will ever know justice as we would like it to be, Antipodi.