Symbionese Liberation Parolee

I normally scan the NY Times website to see what the left thinks important. I normally avoid opening items from the opinion pages because they are so reliably far left. If I do, it is only after two cups of coffee to brace my system against the onslaughts. But the lede to an Op-Ed today on Sara Jane Olson, convicted bank robber and attempted murderer of cops, caught my attention. I am not familiar with the author Caitlin Flanagan, but after reading the piece, I am now an admirer. It starts: THE first time I encountered the word “kleptomaniac,” I asked my mother what it meant. She said, “That’s what they call it when a rich person steals something.” And now, thanks to Sara Jane Olson and her return to the spacious house and gracious life she’s made for herself in St. Paul, we know what it’s called when a rich, white woman gets convicted of trying to kill cops and robbing a bank: “idealism.” It goes on to recount Olson’s past with the Symbionese Liberation Army, her flight, discovery and conviction. It describes her unapologetic attitude, justifying her actions as an attempt to redress grievances of certain minorities for not receiving equal justice. It then eviscerates her arguments pointing out how now financially comfortable Olson is trying to game the system using her own privileged status. It is a great read and can be found here.