Sometimes we say the wrong things. The man of courage and deep convictions Rhode Island (RI) Justice Francis J. Darigan Jr. seemed to do that at Friday's hearing about the Station fire.
In THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, Karen Lee Ziner reports that Justice Darigan told those sitting in the court room, "I understand how you feel." There was an immediate outburst of emotion. Those sitting in the room were primarily those affected by the fire that killed 100 in 2003. Justice Darigan had accepted a plea deal with the 2 nightclub owners. One would receive no jail time. The other would serve about 4 years.
Of course, no one could understand what they felt. And no one can truly understand what anyone feels, about anything. Emotion is too complex and those experiencing those emotions are too idiosyncratic. If we human kind did understand what others were feeling the lion's share of man-made catastrophes, ranging from war to divorce, probably wouldn't have occurred. Had our first parents Adam and Eve understood Cain's jealousy because they seemingly favored their other son Abel, mankind's first murder might have been prevented.
In RI history, that day of misunderstanding between Justice Darigan and those in the court can't be ignored. Not only the legal community but all those in the front lines of maintaining human values in our society now know the phrase "I understand how you feel" is unacceptable - and inflicts so much pain.
Good point, but there's nothing to indicate that Cain's parents treated Him any differently from Abel. Perhaps You were thinking of Jacob and Esau.
Anyway, I would want a judge to do the right thing. Understanding how I felt about it would matter infinitely less to me, and certainly would not make a bad decision acceptable.
Posted by: kenneth | November 30, 2011 at 12:28 PM