Somerville News Coverage of MS-13 Arrest

[cemeterygates.livejournal.com]

I think that the Somerville News piece about the recent MS-13 arrest did an unusually good job depicting the grey area of morality that is so often ignored by the media in their coverage of criminals. I know that such an opinion is commonly viewed by the masses as bleeding-heart, or liberal-guilt, or what have you, but I can honestly say I am proud to be part of a community that recognizes the human side of all people, and I feel this article is an excellent example of that. I do not know specifically what actions Morales was responsible for as a gangster, and I do not question that MS-13 is a very powerful and dangerous entity; but because of this article perhaps a few more people also reflect on the fact that no-one is only a thug.

I would welcome your thoughts.

Comments

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and how exactly do they check people's citizenship status anyway? I certainly don't carry a passport or birth certificate to work. And any database they use to look people up based on their driver's license is certainly a big mess that would confuse people with similar names.

[amethystmoon.livejournal.com]

all MA employees (don't know about other states since I've never been employed in one) need to provide valid US legal-working-status-verifying identification when becoming employed, which your employer must photocopy and keep on file with your signed tax forms. This is why you're always asked to bring either a social security card plus license/state-issued ID OR passport to the first day on the job. They check by going to HR and looking it up.