Thoughtful justice

A Reuters story out of Lima, Peru, says a high court ordered a man get his government job back. He was fired for being drunk at work.

The court's logic was that, even though Pablo Cayo was drunk while working as a janitor for the municipality of Chorrillos, he did not offend or hurt anyone.

Or, as some say on the basketball court, "No harm, no foul."

With what little we've heard, I must side with the court. I'm assuming, of course, that the man does not have a habit of showing up for work while intoxicated.

The "no tolerance" mentality that trashes people for one mistake leads toward an ending where few people remain to carry on society's work. There are some things -- murder, rape, child abuse -- where justice should be black or white. However, most offenses deserve some consideration in the gray areas.