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Mayor Oscar, Take it Back

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Thu Nov 03, 2005 at 09:46:03 PM EST
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Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has been one of my heroes for a long time. Before becoming Mayor, he was an outstanding criminal defense attorney. I've lauded him on TalkLeft several times. I've even endorsed him for Governor of Nevada.

But today, Oscar disappoints. He appeared on television and advocated that graffiti artists have their thumbs amputated on public television as punishment. Then he advocated caning as punishment for children who misbehave.

``I'm dead serious,'' said Goodman, adding, ``Some of these (children) don't learn. You have got to teach them a lesson, and this is coming from a criminal defense lawyer.''

``They would get a trial first,'' he added.

No, this is coming from a former criminal defense lawyer. Oscar, we thought we knew you. Please, take it back.

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    Mayor Oscar, Take it Back | 19 comments (19 topical)
    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:20 PM EST
    too sad

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:25 PM EST
    Posted by sarcastic unnamed one: "Why has this thread devolved so quickly? Is it because Oscar's a Dem?" Gee, how about the latest display of Jim Logic? First, a rant about graffiti, surely one of the world's great overwhelming problems: "Destroying public property for the greater good...." With the requisite assertion that some sort of liberal value is behind it. "Now, no more complaints about bombing Iraq from you, Ed." And then the suggestion that if we don't want to have mutilations in public for petty crimes, we've lost our moral right to oppose illegal violent takeovers of oil-rich countries. And you want to know why the thread devolved? Look in the mirror of Jim's ignorance.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:44 PM EST
    So the mayor of Sin City identifies with the sickening legal theories of portions of shariah? Public stoning in Denver takes on a new meaning in LV. What is the punishment for prostitution? Blinding? Has he considered offering package vacation deals to the Taliban? They have LOTS of opium money to spend, and hey, high-rollers can't be too wrong, since money talks once all sense of decency walks.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#1)
    by cpinva on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    "they would get a trial first." then we'll kill them. seems reasonable to me. make a garland of thumbs, to be hung around the city, on lampposts, as a warning to other, would-be graffiti artists. you know, like they did in the old days.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    Politically, his career just ended. Take note, Brit Hume.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#4)
    by Johnny on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    Wow... He must have been strung out on conservatism... Oops, I man crack-cocaine when he said that.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    What have we come to. Every time a Farther, a Mother, A Step Dad abuses a child they think they have good reason. I watched the Cable TV series Rome and they had Grafitti. In New York we have a Hand Ball Court and the Wall is now Worth a fortune this was called grafitti now its Priceless.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#6)
    by roxtar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    I love Oscar. I used to rent office space from him. But this is over the line, even for Oscar. A few blocks from the mayor's office is the Main Street Station Hotel and Casino. In the men's room is a genuine historical artifact; a piece of the Berlin Wall. It is, I would note with no small degree of irony, covered with graffiti. Oscar's a smart guy. You'd think he'd know better.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#7)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    Ed Beckman writes:
    In New York we have a Hand Ball Court and the Wall is now Worth a fortune this was called grafitti now its Priceless.
    Destroying public property for the greater good.... Now, no more complaints about bombing Iraq from you, Ed.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#8)
    by Slado on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    Sounds like the mayor of LV can apply for the hangmans opening.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    Oh. At first I thought this was about the hot dog.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#10)
    by nolo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    Only in the world of PPJ could one draw a moral (let alone practical) equivalence between graffiti and carpet bombing.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#11)
    by desertswine on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    Another panelist on the show, Howard Rosenberg, a state university system regent, responded by saying that cutting off the thumbs of taggers won't solve the problem and Goodman should "use his head for something other than a hat rack."
    Hahaha...

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    Nolo Did you know according to PPJ some grafitti artist named Michel Angelo ruined the ceiling of the Sistine chapel just for the common Good. According to PPJ some one ruined a perfectly good piece of canvas just to paint a picture a a broad named Mona Lisa. Makes you smile doesn't it.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#13)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    Many do, and pay for it. Funny that you use the term philistine as I can not imagine a better term for you.
    why don't the art appreciation society members here open their own homes and cars to the gang scribblings of the graffiti artistes?
    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#14)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    Oscar the Barbarian.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#15)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    Why has this thread devolved so quickly? Is it because Oscar's a Dem?

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#16)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    I couldn't care less what party he is in, after a statement like that he gets an "I" after his name..."I" for idiot. If somebody defaces private property, a just punishment would be making them clean it up or paying to replace/repair the property defaced. Case closed...no bloodshed, no 30 year old men on disability, unable to work because the state took their thumbs over some youthful indiscretion. Oscar can't possibly be serious. Maybe he just needed to make a media splash because his name hasn't been in the paper lately.

    Re: Mayor Oscar, Take it Back (none / 0) (#17)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:45 PM EST
    I'm sure you don't kdog, I was mostly referencing other posters. And I agree with your take on his seriousness and his need for media exposure.

    Mayor Oscar, Take it Back | 19 comments (19 topical)