Re: Actually...

I think that if Ms. Fletcher actually received a jail sentence it would have set a very nasty precedent for people who write stories that high-ranking politicians find offensive. The fact that she ended up with probation was bad enough. I know it seems that it would be more practical if Fletcher ended up in jail where she was fed and housed, but I think it's more important to grant her freedom than it is to incarcerate her because of the message that this sends to everyone who may write controversial prose. Of course, they picked on the right person this time...if that was me, I would have had First Ammendment lawyers at their throat, as I'm sure Lindsay would also. There is no doubt that they picked on Fletcher because she was an easy target, and because she let them win she allowed them to send the following message: if you offend enough people with what you write, you will go to jail...even in the U.S., which is supposed to be the bastion of freedom in the world.