Concerned 4 concerned neighbor…

Contrary to what you are told or what your pee brain is capable of processing, not all of those prisoners are guilty of “breaking the law”.
My brother, who is 90% deaf since childhood, was riding his dirtbike and didnt know that an officer was following him for several blocks. He stopped the bike as soon as he ssw the officer and was arrested for felony eluding. His paid attorney didn’t even try to defend my brother. He even helped the officer redact his report instead of calling the jurys attention to the discrepancies between reports and testimony.
My brother doesn’t deserve to die in prison from contracting the Covid virus (not disease). My brother was born with a rare condition called Sidus inverdus. His organs and insides are complety flipper around and on the opposite side. He pledges allegiance with his hand over his right side. Because of this condition his organs are vulnerable and he is immune deficient. He deserves to have every protection possible to remain healthy.
I’ve researched dozens of cases and sat through countless courtroom trials and I can tell you that my brother is not the only inmate that has been convicted and sentenced by Prosecutors that seek another notch on their belt as opposed to truth and justice.
The courtroom is no longer a place of inequity, justice and strict procedure. It has become a playground for prosecutorial misconduct, abuse of power and mockery.
I am a paralegal and after seeing the coruption in my local courthouse, I dont want ANYTHING to do with our (lack of) justice system anymore. Its broken and you too could wake up a prisoner one day soon and without “breaking the law”.

I understand the intent of your article but to suggest that National Guardsmen “play soldier” is offensive. Over 300,000 soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and many, including my unit, were actively engaged in combat operations. To suggest that the training that takes place is “playing” marginalizes the commitment, impact and rigor necessary to prepare for battle in defense of our country, liberties and way of life.

EDITOR NOTE–First off, I am an Army veteran of Vietnam.

You and your fellow soldiers don’t face combat conditions or death at the Orchard Range. The Military itself calls many of the training exercises “WAR GAMES.” Many times they even keep score (as in the Air Force “Red Flag” games each year–often won by Air Guard pilots).

Those general officers who command the war games are not accused of “marginalizing” their troops. The GUARDIAN would never refer to combat operations in Afghanistan as playing. However when you shoot with what amounts to laser tag devices and assorted computer simulators, we think “playing” is hardly offensive.

thanks for your comment Jamie.
Agreed. Many people are wrongfully slammed by “the system”.
Let’s put at the top of that list: low-income people, mentally ill people, disabled, and minorities.

That is just the beginning of the “black lives matter” issue. The point is- systemic injustice IS happening against segments of our society- in the legal system and otherwise. It is impossible for an informed person to argue against that issue.

Yet, comments like CN’s ‘don’t care about people’ in prison goes right along with some saying ‘don’t care about innocent people getting killed by cops’. As if SOMEHOW those things are okay and within acceptable American principles. obviously, as long as it is not THEM, the injustice is tolerable for those people. It’s okay elsewhere- until it is right here in Idaho and Boise– eg Jack Yantis and others.
CNs points are ridiculous. There is ample proof there are many innocent people sitting in prison, or somehow wrongfully convicted of something- by a system with plenty of CN’s (people who are “not concerned” beyond their daily tasks to get a paycheck, whether they be cops, prosecutors, DA’s, probation, bail, or judges). Karma is real though. :-/

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ps on a second read, I agree “playing soldier” is not an appropriate description of military TRAINING.
Are cops just “PLAYING cops and robbers” at the POST? What would the Chief say of such a slant?

Last week, 8 marines and a Navy corpsman died in a TRAINING exercise.
Last October, an AirForce pararescueman died while TRAINING, in Boise’s Black Cliffs.

From a news source: “Almost twice as many service members are dying during training exercises compared with combat operations, according to a congressional report from 2006 to 2018, including those years, 31.9% of active-duty military deaths were the result of accidents.”

So the comment in the Editor Note of troops “don’t face combat conditions or death” while training, is erroneous, and insensitive to the truth. Only adding to the validity of CJones’ point.
Training deaths happen too (everywhere), including live-fire training.
Plus I’m sure Guard and Reserve do not appreciate such comments from civies or regular vets.
Go Army!

I’m not so sure the proper sentiment is to host. That implies hospitality. To guard and enforce the law on the convicted is more to my way of thinking.