I am surprised at the outrage against Sen. Orrin Hatch for urging a presidential pardon for rapper John Forte's prison sentence for drug dealing. Our prisons are full and darn expensive. We need to spend more on schools, not on prisons.

There are a lot of people in prisons who are wasting their time and our money -- people who if released would be constructive, taxpaying citizens. Yes, they were guilty and should serve some time. But mercy must temper justice. That's what pardons are for. We need more compassion for the repentant ones who would give to our society rather than take.

I am glad Orrin Hatch showed that he has mercy. Yes, his sympathy for Forte obviously comes from his music industry connections, but that's a start. Instead of snuffing out his flickering candle of mercy, we should encourage him to nurture it, and shine its light on others who similarly deserve a second chance.

In the history of presidential pardons, many more were given decades ago than now. Americans, including Utah Mormons, have become too mean-spirited. Oh, they leave sold-out productions of Les Misérables crying at the goodness of escaped convict Jean Valjean, but in politics they're Inspector Javerts.

Jeff Quinn

Salt Lake City