The Ballad of the Red Light Camera -- How it all began!!

[leroy]

Dear fellow thinkers. In an effort to improve the literary awareness of some and to provide a thought provoking commentary. I present without further discussions the musings of some unknown poet. He may have put his finger on how things might have been. Here it is:

Scene One – The Beginnings:

There once was a great imp assigned to watch over a city so grand.

A place great and splendorous which showcased the wisdom of Man.

That imp he watched closely the musings of that city’s great men.

These men with great vision with minds wise and grand.

Those sages with great wisdom who know what is good.

Those guardians who govern and decide for us all.

Those who keep us from danger and serve “public goodâ€.

That imp he listened closely - he soon learned one thing.

That city’s coffers were empty and needed filling again.

The accountants, comptrollers, and bureaucrats all

Shouted: “We need more money for there is grievous fiscal short-fall!!â€

The mayors, comptrollers, and financial men all studied and mused

On this problem so grim. The forecast was terrible; a catastrophe tall!!.

“No money, we’re broke†- there are problems for all!!â€

Then the uniformed servants those captains dressed finely in blue came forth

And they clamored: “We need more resources for crime fighting too!

For it is a truth that crime fighting is a rigorous calling you see.

More tools are now merited and needed speedilyâ€.

The bean counters and comptrollers looked coldly at these

Protectors – these servants - these noblest of men.

With a deathly cold stare and marble hearts hard as stone.

They answered them roughly with voice harsh, sharp, and strong:

“Real crime fighting is a bummer, a drain on our coffers you know!

It increases our budget -- we don’t have the dough.

For crime fighting makes no money; you are a loss to our “business†you see. Your request is denied, no more dollars there will be!!â€

“Get out! Leave us now!†the great wizened men said. “You are a drain on the system, now get thee away!!

Be content with your stipend or well send you away!!

You best be productive or no longer will you stay!!

Replace the old paradigms, be innovative or fall. If you don’t

Do better we will replace one and all.

For a new day is dawning, be productive you see

Or we will contract out policing and no more stipend you will see.â€

Scene Two; The Evil Harvest Planted – The Seed Sprouts

With that cold pronouncement the imp jumped with glee.

He saw an opportunity for mischief—his great calling you see!!

He entered the hearts of those great, sad, uniformed men.

He whispered so softly, then he whispered again:

“You need to consider this one simple thing.

Fighting criminals is poor work, it doesn’t contribute one thing.

This action, though noble, doesn’t produce revenue.

You need to find money, so here’s what you do

Let’s burden the producers and generate gain.

It will then make police producers of a harvest so grand

It will restore all your fortunes and make you happy again.â€

So the great men started working and making a plan

They studied, they labored, they studied again.

When the plan was then finished and the conclave convened.

The great men then spoke forth their new plan near divine:

“We’ve worried, we’ve studied and obeyed your command.

We’ve heeded your warning to be productive so we can stay.

To make crime fighting a business; now here is what we’ve found.

There are places, indeed, where a bountiful harvest of dollars there be.

Most citizens are producers; but they are rogues don’t you see.

They speed mightily from appointment to appointment over the

Streets of our town.

They are busy, keep dates, always scurrying around.

But they create dangers and are evil, for they disregard law. It is

An appalling condition and bad for us all. Let’s reign in these

Miscreants and rogues, then happy we’ll be. If you heed our

Plan a new day you will see.â€

“Just how will you do it?†the august body then said:

“This will take additional resources and increase overhead.

“We’ll canvas with cameras†the great uniformed men said.

“We’ll then watch until citizens commit these vile crimes – for

You all have demanded a new paradigm.

Always rememberâ€: “A crime is a crime.â€

“Just how will you harvest this bounty so fair?â€

said the great ones who watched over that city so fair.

“We will take their pictures in the very of commission of crime!â€

“We will run then the registration, their dwellings we will find.

It’s easy, it’s simple, a great plan don’t you see?

“For they are easily pickings. We have their addresses you see.â€

“Then we’ll harvest this bounty, this boon for us all.

We’ll fill the city coffers; there will be money for all.â€

“We’ll reap this bounty from the producers- the productive citizens you see.

They won’t bother to fight it; for it’s a nuisance you see.

There will be no need for new taxes; it’s a new revenue.â€

Scene Four: The Evil Seed Grows

So the sages were assembled – that city’s great men.

Along with their servants, the financial kin.

They studied these pronouncements of the great uniformed men.

The plan was critiqued and studied and studied again – was it possible, really

Possible that there is indeed a new day?

Is it possible, really possible to make the crime fighting enterprise pay?

It was studied, debated, and parsed thru and thru

Was this great thing really possible to do?

After much discussion and most thorough review;

The bureaucrats, financial officers and book keepers too.

They all rose up and spoke – it was their duty to do: “The concept is great,

and we do need the bread.â€

Then a great clamor arose thru that great hall.

“Let’s do it!! Get to it!! It could be good for us all.â€

Scene Five: Truth Speaks

But there were among them in that august conclave

Those who abhorred the concept of profit from policing you see.

They spoke of honor, damage to justice, and civic propriety.

They objected to their peers the concept was flawed.

They stated that it placed business above the concepts of justice and law.

They argued that it emphasized small things and was bad for them all.

But their pleadings were rebuffed by forward thinkers and financial men

“You are old fashioned and prudish†the “enlightened ones†said.

“The old days are over!! Society is advancing -Things are improving for all.

The coffers need filling; there will be money for all.â€

The wizened ones once again protested and said to their peers:

“There will be a backlash from the electorate we fear – those who produce, those who work.

There is certain trouble in store!! For there are

Those among them this detestable thing who will abhor.

Crime fighting for profit is not a good thing!!

The uniformed ones need to continue to fight the real crimes.

There are murders, thieves, robbers, even rapist

among us who need to be confined. You best see to this business, even though it is a financially burdening pastime. Resources should be committed to prosecute serious crime.â€

Scene 6: Truth Rebuffed

When the imp heard the warnings of these sages who were just and reverenced the concept of wisdom and law. He sprang into action and entered the men who were small. He whispered this limerick in each sage’s ear: “It really doesn’t matter – there really is nothing to fear. The old days are over the new days are here. We need to bring fiscal responsibility to our crime fighters here.â€

So it was there decided by that august band. This new day we’ll

Embrace all over our land. Crime fighting will enter a brave new phase. We’ll put erudition, business practice, and fiscal responsibility in play!!

So it was decided by that city’s great men.

The command it was given; they set in motion that plan.

They hurriedly put up cameras all over that town.

So the plan it was finished. Indeed, had progress been found?!!

Soon the cameras were flashing and clicking away

And the noble protectors were for once making the game of crime pay!

Scene Seven: The Ethereal Plane

The imp was excited that he had done this foul thing.

He had corrupted the thinking of the great ones it seemed.

He hurried back to Hades – great news he would bring.

He strode forth in victory before that great hall.

He marched in great triumph before his imp brothers all.

These triumphant words and orations to his evil cohorts he called:

“Mankind is weak and he is easily lead – greedy, foolish, and morally small!â€

He will exchange honor for dollars, if he is fearful of his income.â€

“Go forth; speak absurdities, to make honest men craven, foolish - eager for gain.

Go forth then and corrupt those who are the noblest of all,

Those uniformed protectors and servants of all.

Tell them the lie that crime fighting is a business and that it should pay its own way!!

To them, whisper softly this limerick fine: “Always remember: “A crime is a crime.â€

When the cheering was over that Greatest of Imps then did say:

“Go forth and do likewise – you have heard what he said!â€

So the imps then scattered and whispered to bureaucrats all.

“Make crime fighting big business – bring financial responsibility to all.

So it was that Lady Justice above them did stand. She looked

Down in sadness upon the sorry actions of man. She saw that justice into a business had turned. She bowed in dejection her heart was so turned. She sobbed and lamented in tones soft and low. She thought and She mused about how those protectors, those noblest of men could be lead to sully justice -- that most precious of things.

The Great Imp he then spoke to Her in a voice triumphant and strong: “The foolish and greedy among the children of men can be lead like cattle and their foolish kind. Just corrupt those thought noble. It takes little time.

Just whisper a lie or two – wait then and see.

Then there will be perversion of justice among them in a short time you see.

So it has been from the beginning with the children of men.

Destroy their character, and make them to fear. Put absurd notions in them.

Then in no time a perversion of justice you’ll hear.

It always starts smaller and gets larger with time.

In time it spreads over them and justice becomes crime.â€

Scene Eight: The Epilogue

Now this story is finished and you may think it’s not true.

I invite you to look around since this little limerick is through.

Consider what’s before you in the place where you live.

If these things don’t happen around your home town,

Be thankful for blessing is good for you all.

I say “honor the noble, when noble they stay.â€

For there are many places where it is not so today.

For character and honesty is a virtue so true.

Be careful what you think and decide then to do.

Choose carefully your leaders and watch what they say

For temptation are rampant -- evil thoughts there abound.

For the path of honor is rocky, and many there be who

Start noble but in time become imps don’t you see.

[Guest mustangdave]

WHAO!!!....heavy...

[Daniel]

Wall of text. DNR.

[Mike.357]

many words

[ShaunM]

Brain overload.

[Guest Crunchman]

Well worth the time! So true, so sadly true!