I find it interesting that while so many, including many prominent liberals and the Boston Globe, demanded the Catholic Church starting performing CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) checks on employees and volunteers following the Scandal, many of the same voices are coming out in favor of watering down the CORI system to help black men convicted of crimes get a second chance.
While little, old ladies who spend their weekends cleaning the church have their backgrounds searched for felonies and misdemeanors, guys with domestic violence and firearms possession convictions are crying that they can’t get decent jobs.
As music blared and people lined up for barbecue atop a hilly section of Malcolm X Park in Roxbury yesterday, Darrin Howell talked about how his life had changed three years ago when he was arrested for firearms possession and domestic violence.
``I took risks with my freedom and I ended up paying for it,” said Howell, 24, who spent a year in jail for those offenses.
``Before I went in, I worked in administrative offices, doing data entry,” Howell said, ``but after I got out, I haven’t been able to find that type of work. When they check my background now and this comes up, they don’t want anything to do with me.”
Boo hoo. I’m supposed to feel sorry for a guy who characterizes domestic violence as taking “risks with my freedom”? See how he characterizes it in terms of himself and not his victim?
Of course, the liberals see it as a racial issue: “[W]e’re allowing young black men to use CORI as an excuse to not do anything, to just sit back and accept their situation.” Look, these aren’t just poor, misunderstood kids who aren’t being given a chance. These are convicted criminals. If they want a second chance, then the person they should be reforming is themselves, not the system. Why cater to their sense of entitlement by making it seem like the problem is “The Man” and not themselves?
But, not to worry, because if uber-liberal Deval Patrick is elected, he’ll fix things.
City Councilman Chuck Turner , a longtime proponent of CORI reform, said the Democratic nominee for governor, Deval L. Patrick, is more likely to help the reform cause than his opponent, Kerry Healey, a Republican. ``I don’t think we can expect much change under Healy,” said Turner. ``I can’t say any specifics, but if Deval became governor, he would make it a fair and just policy.”
Just not for Catholics, though.
Technorati Tags:background checks, CORI, crime, criminal records
