http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/rachida-dati-loses-two-more/ Tim King on French politics Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:19:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/rachida-dati-loses-two-more/#comment-23705 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 01:31:38 +0000 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/rachida-dati-loses-two-more/#comment-23705 It is quite understandable that Mrs Dati is nervous. In a sense, it's not her fault, but the fault of the omnipresent leader of her government. President Sarkozy seems to have decided to revise the law each time there is a news item which attracts the attention of the media. A mad man kills three nurses in a psychiatric hospital in Pau ? Mr Sarkozy decides, without consulting the magistrates, that there will be a new law, according to which it is not necessary to be responsible of one's acts to be condemned by a court. (In, passing we should note that dogs who kill children are cases at point: hence they should be sent to a tribunal, as did the ancient Greeks, who did not have our conception of penal responsbility). A pedophile kidnaps a child ? Mr Sarkozy decides a specific law for pedophiles. These moves seem, once again, motivated by the desire to be compassionate with victims, which is the main spring upon which the media rely when they announce each new case. The law, which by definition is general, becomes very particular, at the service of what pays in the media. My advice to the judges who complain about the intrusions of the political power is : present yourself as victims, it pays. It is quite understandable that Mrs Dati is nervous. In a sense, it’s not her fault, but the fault of the omnipresent leader of her government. President Sarkozy seems to have decided to revise the law each time there is a news item which attracts the attention of the media. A mad man kills three nurses in a psychiatric hospital in Pau ? Mr Sarkozy decides, without consulting the magistrates, that there will be a new law, according to which it is not necessary to be responsible of one’s acts to be condemned by a court. (In, passing we should note that dogs who kill children are cases at point: hence they should be sent to a tribunal, as did the ancient Greeks, who did not have our conception of penal responsbility). A pedophile kidnaps a child ? Mr Sarkozy decides a specific law for pedophiles. These moves seem, once again, motivated by the desire to be compassionate with victims, which is the main spring upon which the media rely when they announce each new case. The law, which by definition is general, becomes very particular, at the service of what pays in the media. My advice to the judges who complain about the intrusions of the political power is : present yourself as victims, it pays.

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