In a classic episode of The Simpsons, Marge joins the Springfield Police Force. On her beat she spots Homer's car triple-parked across three handicap spots. He is also buying booze for some teenagers.

As Officer Marge writes Homer a ticket, he snatches her hat and ridicules her. A crowd forms to watch the spectacle, and she has no choice but to arrest Homer. As she handcuffs him, Homer refuses to "flex" his rights in a perfectly hilarious way.

Today's New York Times has a great piece chronicling the heartfelt and exhaustively detailed confessions of sundry fools, thugs, and sexual predators who, like Homer, refuse to remain silent when it's in their best interests.

Frankly, I'm not tormented that most these folks decided to waive their 6th Amendment right to counsel. But I have some eye-rolling sympathy for the woman indicted on prostitution charges after writing in her confession form "I'm not a prostitute. I just hook guys up with girls if they want them."

Too bad she didn't practice what criminal defense lawyer Stacy Richman advises and every Flex Your Rights member knows: "You have a right to remain silent. Exercise that right."

Daniel J. Castelman, chief of investigations for the Manhattan district attorney, nails the precise reasons why people confess.

Almost nobody doesn’t talk. And the reason for that is that people think they can either talk their way out of it or mitigate the crime. It’s human nature.

As for the critics who condemn Flex Your Rights for promulgating information that might allow criminals to go free, please don't blame us; blame the Bill of Rights.