Maybe some good will come of it

Readers of this blog know that I'm very doubtful about Tookie's "redemption" and that I feel that, even if he is redeemed, that doesn't mean he shouldn't pay for the horrible crimes he committed. I was therefore somewhat ambivalent when I read this story:

More than 50 works of art by San Quentin inmates will be on exhibit at the Mall at Northgate through December. Many of the pieces are for sale at prices ranging from $20 to $4,000. They include paintings, etchings, beadwork and collages. The display is at MarinLink, a nonprofit that serves as a link between not-for-profit groups, businesses, and health, education and arts groups. The works are varied in subject matter and skill level but the teachers who work with the artists say the common thread is providing a voice for the inmates.

My first thought was, "Oh, no! Not another effort to make these people seem special and not like criminals." Thinking it through, though, I realized that not everyone in SQ is a Tookie. A lot of them are just rather pathetic losers who can't stay on the honest side of the street. Perhaps the quiet and creativity of art work can be the thing that leads them to a more meaningful, thoughtful existence, and helps keep them from joining the ranks of recidivists. So, I've decided, in my own mind, that this art show isn't such a bad thing after all.