Quick story about DNA that I’ve recently experienced. While I was working at the group home, it was brought to my attention (through my fingerprinting) that I had an outstanding warrant in Orange County (Newport) from 2009! I did move to Colorado in 2010 so there was a (very) good chance I said fuck it and left, what did I care, I was going to another state, right? Keeping in mind I had a bad habit of either ignoring my problems or running from them back in the day. Anyway, when I went to court for it, went in front of a judge (thought those days were over lol), got a public defender and as I was sitting in there listening to what was almost all DUI cases, I couldn’t help but notice how all of them were having their fees waved in lieu of a DNA swab.
Now mind you, DUI fees are expensive, I should know, I’ve had three. In all my DUI cases, not once was I offered to have my fees waved for a DNA swab, they didn’t do that before the year 2010 anyway. That day they did offer to dismiss my case for my DNA and I was like, um, I don’t think so. I was thinking as many times as I’ve peed in a cup or had my blood drawn for you guys, and you didn’t get it when you had the chance, that’s on you, sorry not sorry. No way was I just handing over my DNA, I’d rather go to jail. I remember the biggest question I had on my mind that morning was WHY? Why do you want my, or anybody, or actually everybody, why do they want all that DNA?
When I was assigned my public defender (Claire who was actually really nice and really good, thank you for all you did) I asked her why and all she said was, “I know, it’s weird, you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to” and I was like yeah there’s no way, I’ll take my chances. Finally, three months later, my case was dismissed.
Call me conspiracy theorist, call me what you want, and my reaction may have been extreme but something just didn’t sit right with me. I really would’ve gone to jail over it because I wasn’t just going to hand over my DNA. I knew there was something fishy about it, something evil even. It just struck me as really odd that they would be waving tens of thousands of dollars (daily) for a cotton swab to the cheek.
As I continue this little journey of mine, I’m learning that DNA is a wee bit more precious than most know. Turns out our “junk” DNA is not so junky after all and I have a sneaky suspicion our government wants to know something, or everything about everybody. Or maybe it’s more about what they’re putting in rather than what they’re taking out, if you know what I mean. I don’t know, may sound crazy, but crazier things have happened and will continue to happen and either way, something ain’t right. Time will tell.