Civil Evil

I must, in fairness, link to a WSJ editorial today that strongly takes my blog brother br's side of the Madoff sentence.

On sentencing 71-year-old Bernard Madoff yesterday to 150 years, federal Judge Denny Chin said, "Here the message must be sent that Mr. Madoff's crimes were extraordinarily evil."

"Evil" is a word that has fallen out of political fashion, suggesting as it does intent or action that is irredeemable. Politicians, especially now, prefer to routinely insinuate vaguely defined moral failure against individuals, corporations and entire industries for opposing an equally vague standard of the public good.

No such problem attends Bernard Madoff, who himself yesterday described a personality willing to defraud and debase all who came in contact with him. Madoff's sentence and Judge Chin's remarks fit the crime. They are a rare exercise in moral clarity.

I'm all for moral clarity and agree that Madoff clearly showed premeditation and mens rea. It still seems out of line to me with typical sentences for physical violence and murder, but perhaps my father and G.K. Chesterton were right about this not being a perfect world.

Dr. Helen asks my question. Many interesting comments.

Philosophy Posted by John Kranz at June 30, 2009 9:47 AM