Special Treatment for Celebs - ick.
I usually don’t read News of the Weird these days because the regular headline news is weird enough for me. However as I was scanning the Rhino Times the other week a headline in Chuck Shepherd’s column1 stood out like a sore thumb to me. Wheelchair-confined Richard Paey committed almost exactly the same violations” of the Florida drug laws as Rush Limbaugh, says the article.
Rush and Paey had two vastly different reasons for doing the crime. Rush admits that he had an addiction problem - which began with a pain problem but spiralled out of control. (I might note that proper oversight and management from a competent doctor might’ve prevented him from becoming addicted in the first place. Who knows?) Paey “defiantly argued” (quoting the article) that he had a large quantity of the painkillers because they’re necessary to relieve the near constant pain from the unsuccessful surgery.
So here are two men with pain complications post-op except that Paey’s is much worse and the dude’s in a wheelchair. “Confined” to a chair according to the article. Both end up on handfuls of pills. As far as we know, neither of them is giving their pills to a third party - it’s them taking the drugs TO RELIEVE THEIR OWN PAIN. Paey’s is evident, Rush’s perhaps less so - I’d love to hear a doctor’s sayso on his actual condition before I judge simply because in reading the various news stories on the case I see him painted in six degrees of health, ranging from practically a bedridden invalid to able to leap building in a single bound. I’m sure neither’s the case… but what is?
In steps the government.
- Rush’s sentence: treatment. If he complies - his conviction will be neatly erased.
- Paey’s sentence: 25 years in prison. It’s on appeal.
How much do you want to bet that Paey’s not being treated for his pain there in the Florida pen?
Some states don’t even allow inmates to use their wheelchairs if they have nerve function in their legs. <gags>
Please understand that I have nothing against Rush Limbaugh - I hope that he becomes well and healthy. I DO, however, have something against a system where the rich and well-known can rest on that fame and know that they will have a higher level of respect and better treatment.
What happened to that blindfolded statue that used to stand in our halls of justice?
1(6/4 to be exact - tho I think the RT ran it later than that)
technorati’s= Kathi Sharpe, pain, disability, news of the weird, Kathi’s Cottage, narcotic pain control
