was so little money, and he didn't want his
children living off charity. So The Speaker, hearing the case, said
mercy was called for, and gave him fifteen years in local punishment. A
year later he was caught selling drugs to middle school children who
were attacking people on the street to get the money to supply their
habits.
31 This time The Speaker added five years to the man's sentence, sent
him to the mines at Western. Would you believe that they caught him
dealing in the mines to the other prisoners and he only got five more
years? But now they keep him in isolation; this man, who's responsible
for who knows how many rapes, assaults, and murders, by people
desperate to get the poison he sells them! Soon she will go to The
Lords, but he will someday walk free and probably go back to dealing in
his poison. Is that fair? Is that right?
32 The drug dealers cause the suffering by making, transporting and
selling the garbage they're dealing in. They say they're not
responsible for the acts of those that use their products. But I say
they are. They ARE responsible, and they have to pay, pay the highest price they can!"
33 Bright Serpent nodded. "I understand," he agreed. "Of course the
families of those dealing in these things close their eyes to the
sickness of their crime. They only know that they love their people,
and cannot understand why they should have to die, or, spend all their days in punishment for
merely supplying people with something they want. But you have opened
my eyes. I see what you are trying to teach me.
34 People that deal in things like this are the lowest form of life,
worse than animals. They cannot be allowed to go unpunished. The Law is
always wise. It was never barbaric and cruel but was actually centuries
ahead of its time."
35 So after the ceremony when he had taken The Bread and the Wine, and
sworn The World Speaker's Oath,