The Devil Made Me Do it...

Two articles reveal that accepting personal responsibility for one's own actions is a thing of the past...These days, one should always look to blame someone or something else whenever possible...that is, after all, the immature and childish thing to do.

Manatee County church's ex-treasurer gets one-year sentence

A woman previously convicted of embezzling money from the Postal Service was sentenced Thursday to a year in jail for a similar crime against a church.

Sally Hackle, 46, was ordered to continue to pay more than $37,000 in restitution to Living Lord Lutheran Church. She also received 15 years of probation as part of her sentence.
. . .
After her July 2006 arrest, Hackle sought psychiatric help, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

At the sentencing, Hackle's psychologist, Roxane Dinkin, said Hackle's spending sprees were driven by impulse.

Contributing factors to Hackle's mental health problems included prior physical abuse and two bouts with cancer, Dinkin said.[ my emphasis]

Sufficient reasons to explain her propensity to embezzle, yes?

An in another article, "Hancock's family sues Shannon's, others", one wonders if anyone in the family is of sound mind or if alcohol is a factor in this bizarre turn of events?

ST. LOUIS — Mike Shannon's sports bar knowingly served liquor to Cardinals relief pitcher Josh Hancock long after he was drunk, his father says in a wrongful death lawsuit over a fatal crash.

Toxicology tests made public Thursday from Hancock's autopsy reconfirmed his blood alcohol at 0.157 — almost twice the legal maximum to drive — and revealed no other drugs in his system.

The suit seeks unspecified damages "over $25,000" from Mike Shannon's Steaks and Seafood, the owner and driver of a parked tow truck that Hancock hit, and the driver of a car the wrecker had stopped to help.

Nobody else was injured when Hancock, 29, rammed a rented SUV into the back of the tow truck in the left lane of westbound Highway 40 near the Compton Avenue overpass shortly before 1 a.m. April 29.

And Hancock was also speeding and talking on his cell phone when he ran into the tow truck which did have its emergency lights flashing...But where is the family attempting place the blame? Everywhere but where it truly belongs...The family should ignore the advice of the slithering lawyer whom they have retained and move forward with their lives, being thankful that Hancock killed no one else in his drunken binge...But that action would indicate that one is capable of doing what is right, that one is mature enough to recognize and accept "personal responsibility".

To underscore the stupidity of the lawsuit, the complaint states:

"The intoxication of Joshua Morgan Hancock on said occasion was involuntary."

Involuntary? That's right - witnesses will surely testify that Hancock was dragged to the bar and intravenously given alcohol even while he violently protested...

I feel secure that now I can rely on the saying, "the devil made me do it", or that I can find a quack psychotherapist who will support the notion that I'm suffering from some sort of brain malfunction to excuse my future wrongdoings or lapses in responsibility or personal accountability. Isn't life great!