The other day Asher and I were walking home from school. He noticed the political signs in people's yards "Kitzhaber for Governor" and "Vote 'no' on Measure 75." "What are those signs?" Asher wanted to know.
"Today is election day!" I told him, "Those signs give opinions on who to vote for."
"What are they voting for?" Asher asked
"Oh, people who make laws or decisions about the state of Oregon" I wanted to keep it simple.
"What kind of laws?" Asher wondered.
"Well, someone has to decide how much money to spend on things like roads, prisons, or schools." I said, noticing that I was giving the most basic definition of politics. I wondered if I could remember that song about how a bill becomes a law that I learned when I was in elementary school. But my train of thought was interrupted by Asher-now incredulous:
"THEY GIVE MONEY TO PRISONERS? LIKE ROBBERS?"
"Oh, no" I clarified, "they give the money to prisons so that the prisons have things like electricity and food."
"Oh," Said Asher, now thinking he was figuring it out, "So they STEAL the money from the prisoners!"
By now, I was suppressing laughter and I wondered if I was really getting my point across. I switched to talking about roads, and schools, and things like public transportation. I think Asher pretended to listen to me and then said,
"Mom, if you are ever in a prison, you should always have a policeman there with you because the people in prison did a bad thing and they might do a bad thing if you were there."
Well, now I did think a lesson was in order, and I have my own strong opinions about rehabilitation. I have been to prisons and even taught yoga to prisoners through a local non-profit organization.
But mostly I wanted Asher to know that a bad person DOES NOT have to be a "bad person" forever.
"Well, honey" I said, "Sometimes people do a bad thing and then they go to prison and they are sorry, really sorry. And when they get out they don't do anything bad anymore."
"Really?" Asher was amazed. "So they won't be robbers anymore and they are sorry? And they won't steal things from our car?"
About a year ago some "robbers" strategically cut the hood of our van, disconnected the battery which disconnected the alarm, and stole all of our airbags and some of our seat belts. It was the night of Thanksgiving.
When we took the van to the body shop, they explained to us that there are people who are fix cars through dishonest means and they need parts. So they scope neighborhoods to find cars matching the parts they need. Since they are "professionals" at this crime, they know exactly how to disconnect the alarm and take parts quickly. I remember thinking, "Wow, with that kind of expertise and drive it seems like those people could really do something good with their lives."
Here is a story of someone who did:
http://www.daveskillerbread.com/story.shtml
And this one brings back memories!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ
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