Reply #49: Arson means the intent was to cause damage. [View All]

[Pithlet]

It seems you are the one who doesn't understand. It also seems you don't understand what being mentally ill means.

Where in my posts did you get the idea that I meant no one should ever be punished for setting fires that cause damage? It's seems you aren't understanding anything I'm posting, either. Obviously, if someone in full control of their mental faculties starts a fire intending to cause damage, or blatantly disregards laws and is grossly negligent in causing damage, then they should be held accountable. I believe I even said as much in my post. Sorry, but I don't think smoking a cigarette rises to that level. How many millions of smokers are there in California? How is anyone going to prove that one individual smoker is the cause of such a huge fire? Setting a bonfire? Sure, I can see that. A cigarette butt? I think more proof is needed than that if you're going to heap prison time and millions of dollars in fines, sorry. That does reek of "Someone needs to pay!!!!!", rather than true justice. And, I'm sorry, but I do think that people who are screaming for blood do need to remember that they live in a fire prone area, and no matter how much they scream for justice, fires are going to keep happening. I do. I'm sorry. I say this as someone who lives in a disaster prone area. Only we can't ever blame our disasters on anyone.