Three strikes, Ms. Shriver
California's "three-strikes" law is about truly heinous crimes. But in politics, it's a serious breach of behavior and self-interest to commit a ''do as I say, not as I do'' violation.
Maria Shriver is not an elected official, but she is married to a renowned one, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and was born into an even more famous family of them, the Kennedys.
So the inevitable outcome when hubris meets hypocrisy can't have been lost on her. Why should the hoi polloi of us feel we need to obey the laws the politicians pass, if the high and mighty themselves won't observe them? It undercuts the repute of politics and the public regard for the rules and regulations we are all supposed to adhere to.
At least twice, Shriver has been photographed using her cellphone without a hands-free device -- a violation of a law her husband signed. When he made it law, he noted that if he ever caught his teenage daughter breaking it, ''she'll be taking the bus.''
After his wife was caught by a gossip site driving while chatting on a cellphone sans legally required device, Schwarzenegger promised, ''There's going to be swift action,'' and Shriver apologized. I wonder whether her daughter, the one who was threatened with the bus if she broke the law, gave her mother a piece of her mind.
But Shriver was not aboard a bus -- although a Cadillac Escalade is certainly of long and lumbering proportions -- when she was seen parking said SUV in a red zone in Santa Monica for nearly an hour. She was reportedly at a doctor's office, which I can't imagine to be official business.
Everybody screws up once in a while, sometimes in bigger ways than not. But a red zone is a big unmistakable crimson no-no that drivers learn even before they're old enough to get behind the wheel. How could she not see it? And if she did see it, what little voice told her, ''It's OK, go ahead,'' especially on the heels of her cellphone transgressions?
It's a shame that paparazzi follow her hither and yon, but one definition of morality is doing the right thing even when no one's looking, isn't it? I am pretty sure that if I'd tried to get away with the same thing, I'd have come out of my doctor's office to see my car on the way to the tow yard.
What ''swift action'' will her husband insist upon this time? Another apology will ring a bit hollow on the heels of the other one. In the meantime, maybe we should all chip in and buy her a bus pass.
-- Patt Morrison
Is it right that some people act is the law does not exsist? The law was made so that everyone living under it could live safe and chaos free. It would be wrong to state that everyone follows the law when people like Maria Shriver are caught twice, within two weeks acting as if there is no such thing as a law. Being the renown wife of an elected officail, Shriver should be following the rules weather she is being watched or not.I agree that it is hard for the average American to take the law seriously if the politicians themselves do not observe them.
The governor takes his wife's violations lightly after stating," There's going to be swift action."She is a citizen just like anyone else and there should be no exceptions, no matter who she is married to or what family she was born into. The fact that she is followed around is her fault because she gives the media a reason to follow her, if she would obey the rules she could go about her business without worrying about getting caught again. shriver enjoys the attention and that is the only possible claim I can come up with.
Posted by: Abeni Douglas | November 05, 2009 at 06:18 PM
Laws are made but not enforced not even by the people who inject them. Famous people break law all the time and do not get the severity as normal blue collar citizens feel. The lack of unjust regulation of celebrity law, Patt Morrison makes a good point. He does not like that fact that people in power can just disobey law and get a slap on the wrist where an everyday person would have to go to jail and that is blasphemy. Does a celebrity have more rights than a normal person? If so should there even be such things as a severe crime? If celebrities can do what ever they want and get away with should not everyone. Just because people have money and a television image it all of a sudden makes them better than people. What about the people who donate to charities and helpful organizations where some celebrities do not even care. I agree with Patt Morrison Laws are useless unless they are enforced.
I agree with Patt Morrison for years so called “upper class” has gotten away with crimes that would have normal citizens in jail for life or for an extended period of time. Like Martha Stewart a women seen as tasteful to American people but she committed a crime of inside trading in the stock market but when she is caught and goes to jail for five months! If it was a normal citizen then they probably would have done at least five year’s. Since I am African American another example would also be Robert Kelly also known as “R.Kelly” There is clear evidence to that he had sex with a young girl all the evidence but some how he avoids going to jail. If it was any normal man in this day and age the average sentence would be five to six years but he did no time. I believe crime is crime and if you commit a crime you should do the time.
Posted by: damein Bell | November 04, 2009 at 09:45 AM
I agree with Patt Morrison for years so called “upper class” has gotten away with crimes that would have normal citizens in jail for life or for an extended period of time. Like Martha Stewart a women seen as tasteful to American people but she committed a crime of inside trading in the stock market but when she is caught and goes to jail for five months! If it was a normal citizen then they probably would have done at least five year’s. Since I am African American another example would also be Robert Kelly also known as “R.Kelly” There is clear evidence to that he had sex with a young girl all the evidence but some how he avoids going to jail. If it was any normal man in this day and age the average sentence would be five to six years but he did no time. I believe crime is crime and if you commit a crime you should do the time.
Posted by: Damien Bell | November 03, 2009 at 09:06 PM
Don't forget you live in a country ruled by the filthy rich. The same filthy rich that enforces laws to create separation of the working people, but they themselves are not obligated to obey these same laws. Everyone can post all the comments they want, that is not going to change things. You can change this if you really want to. Rise up and take back your dignitary and take out the rich ruling class - all of them.
Posted by: Virgie | October 31, 2009 at 07:07 PM
Beauty Queen - Yes, there are fines attached if one breaks these laws and is caught in the acts. But there are legitimate reasons for red curbs and real safety concerns related to talking while driving. That Maria Shriver can "afford" the fines is irrelevant. Everyone needs to follow the rules of the road. Unfortunately, a majority of the West side shares Ms. Shriver's sense of entitlement and belief that the rules don't apply to them. Unfortunately too, there appears to be practically no traffic enforcement on the West side by the Santa Monica police and West LAPD. That's been my take for the 18 years I've lived here. If there were consistent police enforcement wherein all these horrible drivers were ticketed, the driving habits here would change.
Posted by: Maria | October 31, 2009 at 02:20 AM
the fact people are defending maria shriver is appalling. um.....she is a citizen of the State of California and subject to its laws. She is not a queen, floating above the law.
Elected officials, and their wives, are subject to law too. American politicians are the servant of the citizenry, not the other way 'round.
Posted by: patrick in LA | October 30, 2009 at 09:40 PM
What are the odds that you can spend an hour parked in a Santa Monica red zone and not come back to at least a ticket or, more likely, to having had your car towed? It's hard not to believe that the parking enforcement of Santa Monica somehow knew who owned the Escalade.
By coincidence, I received a parking ticket in Santa Monica on that very same day because I forgot to plug the meter. I wonder if I can write the City of Santa Monica and ask them for the special Maria Shriver dispensation in lieu of paying my fine.
Posted by: JVW | October 29, 2009 at 03:34 PM
Get Shriver a bus ticket out of California - how did these liberal idiots ever get to be such elitist pigs who always think they are above any law - moral or otherwise, maybe that's why she writes crap children's books that sentimentally flurry on all the questions of the universe -
Obozo has the same problem - no ethical or moral center, just arrogant narcissistic superiority - and cold - hard-core frozen - sociopathic tendencies for sure - AND a Marxist mop, not a socialist one - Shriver should be made to mop a homeless shelter as community service punishment - she already has a Obummer mop. I AM SO SICK OF THESE IDIOTS.
Posted by: Anne Marie Erskine, PA | October 29, 2009 at 12:14 PM
I don't care if she talks on her phone while she drives. But if she can do it, can I please have the $100+ I paid for my talking-while-driving ticket back? Thanks Arnold.
Posted by: Rachel | October 29, 2009 at 09:40 AM
To Dorothy Day: Who says Arnold is a respected governor? Speak for yourself, Kemo Sabe! Maria married a self-absorbed guy in the form of Arnold Schwartzeneger. He has done nothing in office but spout cliches about every politician who disagrees with him. He has done nothing for the State of California but slash and burn programs designed to help the least fortunate among us. His legacy is the same as Calvin Coolidge, and that sucks.
Posted by: Frank S. | October 28, 2009 at 05:14 AM
Here, here Hat Lady. Jolly good piece about the difference between the ruling class and us. Maybe Maria is on steroids like Arnold was during his body building days. In fact, maybe Arnold is still a steroid monster when one looks at the childish and insensitive way he has governed.
Posted by: Frank S. | October 28, 2009 at 05:05 AM
"@Jon Healey, thanks for reminding all of us that our wonderful, bleeding heart, special interest pandering, 13% approval rated legislature is taxing us up the wazoo every time we move. I think I even get taxed when I flush my toilet, thank you.
Posted by: Brad | October 27, 2009 at 04:18 PM"
All right, genius, which tax would you eliminate? Sales tax? Gas tax? Property tax (yes, our schools are overfunded, aren't they?)
Our great nation was founded by tax whiners ("I don't wanna pay those Brits for sending the army here to defend us from the French and Indians. WAAAHHH!"), and nothing, unfortunately, has changed since.
Posted by: Dave | October 27, 2009 at 05:38 PM
Elitist liberal is as elitist liberal does.
Posted by: Thomas Nelson | October 27, 2009 at 05:35 PM
Arnold's wife has shown blatant disrespect before during her stupid Obama stunt and now this. She's making a fool of herself and her husband, our respected governor. She needs to spend a couple of days in city jail to teach her.
Posted by: Dorothy Day | October 27, 2009 at 04:45 PM
@Jon Healey, thanks for reminding all of us that our wonderful, bleeding heart, special interest pandering, 13% approval rated legislature is taxing us up the wazoo every time we move. I think I even get taxed when I flush my toilet, thank you.
Posted by: Brad | October 27, 2009 at 04:18 PM
Let her use the cell phone. Let her park in the red zone. Let her quit wearing a seat belt if the mood strikes her. Let her break any laws she wants to that only require money to right the wrongs, and have not hurt anyone else in the breaking. She didn't plow through any pedestrians while on her phone, did she?
If she's got the money to pay the fines - and we know she does - let her continue to break the law. It's her prerogative to do so. These aren't criminal offenses, people. These are laws that were likely designed to make money for the state or locality, under the guise of aiding public safety. They're crap laws.
So let her break 'em if she wants to - everyone else does by way of the same judgment call: "Can I afford the fine I might incur for the convenience of parking in the red zone? OK, I got a bonus this week, I've got some extra cash - I'm gonna go for it!" Other than the fact that she's the governor's wife (she's NOT the governor!!), the only difference between her and everyone else is that she can afford to do it any time she wants to. I don't think she feels she's above the law; she simply knows what she can afford. So, are we really grousing because she's a scofflaw, or is it because we envy her ability to pay the price?
Look, when it's all said and done, the state needs the fine money. Let her do her part to help California's economy!
Posted by: BeautyQueen | October 27, 2009 at 03:52 PM
@Jon Healey, Thanks. I've copied your reply to use as a boilerplate response to my conservative friends who already know better.
Posted by: Dave | October 27, 2009 at 03:48 PM
Don't you have something more important to do than rag about Maria?
She spends most of her public time trying to improve the lives of families in California - especially women. If she parks in a red zone to avoid the paparazzi, so what? Lay off, already.
Posted by: J Beardsley | October 27, 2009 at 03:45 PM
Sorry, Maria, too many "mistakes" shows that you just don't give a hoot. Shame on you.
Posted by: California Homeowner | October 27, 2009 at 03:28 PM
Expecting Arnold to take "swift action" is pathetic - she's his wife not his daughter. She's reponsible for her choices. Just ticket her and turn off the drama.
Posted by: Just input | October 27, 2009 at 02:49 PM
@Andrew -- Speaking of giving it a rest, how about dropping that shopworn myth that 50% of the population doesn't pay taxes? Everybody pays taxes -- sales taxes help fund state and local governments, excise taxes on gasoline help build roads and transit systems, property taxes fund schools and more. And even if you don't own a home, you're still paying property taxes because landlords routinely include them in the monthly rent. Unless you stay at someone else's home and purchase nothing, you can't avoid paying those levies. And even if you earn so little at your job that you have no income tax liability, you still have Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld.
Posted by: Jon Healey | October 27, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Give it a rest. She's a rich progressive liberal and scion of the royal Kennedy family. They are above the law, doing the holy work of progressive liberalism. They have special dispensation so that they can devote the time needed to taxing the rest of us to feed and clothe the 50% of the population that do not pay taxes.
Posted by: andrew nelson | October 27, 2009 at 10:44 AM