To those who believe Salon is

a)laughing at Hilton, or otherwise being cruel

b)indulging in the media's Hilton obsession,

please read the article again, carefully. Repulsive as she is, the "cultural" phenomenon of Paris Hilton is a significant touchstone of our times, and bears some thoughful attention. We got that, with a little humor too.

Now if the media could only get clear on the very significant difference between prison and county jail. That's just a matter of basic accuracy...

What is happening to this country? I have no feeling about Paris, one way or another, and it amazes me that she could possibly cause so much angst. She doesn't strike me as a bad or evil person in any sense of the world. She is just a silly 26 old girl who has a little more growing up to do. Big deal!

What scares me to no end is the mob mentality to railroad her into a substantially increased punished beyond anything anyone else in her situation would get to satisfy the "mob." America is so prone to a mob mentality, it really stuns me, and scares me.

There are laws, and there are rules and regulations for a well ordered society. Laws are of the "Thou shalt not" variety, while rules and regulations. She broke no serious laws. Yes, she blew a .08; however most alcohol related traffic accidents and fatalities are caused by drivers with much high blood alcohol levels. Yes, she drove on a suspended license, but she wasn't drinking.

Consequently, what we have is a 26 year old girl with no previous criminal record who blew the minimum BAL, and then drove with a suspended license. The judge threw the book at her because he doesn't want to look soft on her, and basically sentenced her to 45 days in solitary confinement.

Where is the proportionality? Sheriff Baca was just being realistic. Average Jane would have been released on this set of circumstances after 3 or 4 days max. However, because the media watching mob doesn't like Paris, she requires a non proportional punishment to satisfy the mob sense of outrage in some symbolic fashion to prop up the power structure against revolt?

That is not justice.

Why not address the real issues concerning how come we continue to crimanlize, incarcerate, and basically torture an increasing number of low level offenders in horrible conditions? Is basically torturing one mentally fragile, blond girl from the upper class the payback the mob demands?

Did anyone see the Youtube video of her dancing at a house party and calling people the N word and more? According to celebrity gossip websites, it's well-known in celebrity circles that she's a blatant racist.

Her everyday notoriety aside, she drove drunk, she violated probation twice, then cried in jail and they sent her home. If I (totally average joe) did the same, I'd have the book thrown at me.

Also, I am a totally informed, involved citizen. I work as a political organizer for progessive causes, I have dedicated my life to stopping global warming, bringing universal health care, reducing poverty, etc. I also read perezhilton (even though I think he's a moron) and laineygossip.com is the best -- so it's possible to be a tuned-in citizen and also be interested in celebrity gossip.

Although, truth be told, I wish I had a better guilty pleasure. I'm working on it -- perhaps yoga, time at the soup kitchen, teaching kids to read?

The reality is she made something of nothing, we didn't. She has turned herself into a brand, we didn't and people care about what happens to her, not about us. I can surely attest to Paris fatigue but the fact remains that there are millions of little rich girls whom we've never heard of; millions who do nothing but inherit, and yet this one had an alchemical ability to turn nothing into something. If I were a CEO I would seriously consider hiring her to do my PR/Marketing but wait...she doesn't need my job offer because once again she seems to have that Midas touch and while I can take or leave her antics, I can recognize her genius and not fall into that tired cliche of Paris bashing. She is young and spoiled for sure. From this experience she will learn and grow...can the population at large?

PS-Video decorating the cell and having daily visits with your dog and this too will be a PR stunt.

Sheriff Baca is reponsible for running one of the largest jails in the world. Legislators require lengthier sentences, but do not provide the funds to provide jail space for the large numbers of offenders.

Paris Hilton was guilty of a probation violation of a non-violent misdemeanor. The Sheriff must obey a federal injunction limiting the number of inmates in the L.A. County Jail.

A psychiatrist and two psychologists reported to the Sheriff that Hilton was suffering serous mental disorders. One time middle class or upper class offenders such as Paris Hilton are the highest suicide risks during their short incarceration times.

The Judge has been on the bench for 28 years. Yet he is limited to hearing traffic arraignments and probation violation on traffic sentences. The City Attorney who wants higher office were offended. So the Judge and City Attorney issue press releases and supplanted the Sheriff in running the Jail.

When will the American public's lust to see their fellow citizens imprisoned cease?

Reporters brought the courthouse to a stand still and the Hilton matter dominated the news. On this same day, President Bush was being ostracized in the Group of Eight Summitt. The immigration compromise bill was unraveling in the United States Senate. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was forced into retirement rather than face a hostile Senate confirmation. The every increasing deaths of American soldiers in Iraq continued with another bad day.

But the Paris Hilton story dominated the space in Salon, the New York Times, Washington Post, and the news networks.

Al Gore has it right. This is not how a democracy should be functioning.