Devoted to show business and the entertainment industry

Wesley Snipes was sentenced to the maximum time allowed for not filing his income taxes: 36 months.

The judge let it be known that the reason Snipes received the maximum penalty was to keep others from attempting to do the same thing.

U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neill added, "We think it sends a real message. Again you have to pay your taxes. If you dispute the taxes you owe, contact the IRS and go through the formal process. To continually just say, 'I don't owe taxes, you must show me why I owe taxes,' it seemed his position was ludicrous."

All of that is well and good, but my problem is in a man being sentenced to three years in prison to act as an example to others. To me that's unjust and cruel.

With that reasoning, every single crime committed should receive the maximum penalty in order to send the same message. It doesn't compute.

I could see if this was a serious crime of murder, rape or child molestation, but in connection to taxes, I don't get it.

Of course I really do get it, I just don't accept it.

In essence, Snipes is being treated differently because he is a celebrity, and is being singled out as an example. To have to serve a maximum sentence for those reasons just isn't right. He shouldn't have to serve any more than others that took the same actions.

The judge said Snipes wouldn't have to surrender immediately, but could do so at a later time.