I think too many people here are setting up a false dichotomy, where one can either relish in her punishment or cry along with her. But there are many legitimate views in between those two extremes.
I have no fondness at all for Hilton (and, just as an aside, although I don't think it's really relevant, I don't even find her very physically attractive - she's certainly not my type, physically-speaking - face, hair, and style-wise). She has seemed to really play up a lot of loathsome characteristics. Spoiled rich girl, not very bright, lazy, spending daddy's money, obsessed with all things shallow and superficial, etc.
I'm not going to shed a tear on her incarceration for a misdemeanor crime that she committed.
THAT said, it seems like the judge, the media, and the public are using her small crime (driving on a suspended license) as an excuse to "get her". To impose what feels almost like revenge.
She is a product of her environment. The worst aspects of shallow Hollywood combined with the dumbest kind of party-girl (and boy) drugs, sex, booze and obscene wealth and money-wasting. Surely the circles that her parents orbit in (those of sub-Hollywood and international Big Business) encourage such behavior in various ways, both explicitly and in more subtle ways. Haven't we been told before that Paris's parents are proud of her and her non-accomplishments? Even pleased that she did the stupid sex video and all that? Nestled and ensconced in so much privilege and wealth, she probably did feel not only insulated and bulletproof, but SAFE. Now that illusion has crumbled and she's freaking out. I'm not surprised at her reaction, but I'm not feeling joy at her sadness. I think I AM capable of schadenfreude, but not here.
Paris Hilton, to my knowledge, hasn't actually HARMED anyone. Yes, drunk-driving is a serious misbehavior, and had she harmed anyone then, I'd be all for some (serious) jail time and such. But here, from what I've read, is that she's actually serving more time, all things considered, than the average Joe who goes through the LA penal system for the same - again, misdemeanor - offense.
There are much bigger crimes for people to focus on, many of them originating in DC and on Wall Street. I would be much more interested to find out what Hilton's parents are getting away with, and at whose expense. Because when you take Paris Hilton-like behavior and plug it into someone who wields actual power at a corporation or who controls a nation's military, or controls the pursestrings for programs and policies that can potentially help or harm millions of people, that's when real damage is done. THAT goes well beyond the mere annoyance of Paris's constantly-monitored dim-witted and irritating party girl behavior.
Paris shouldn't be able to get away with anything more than anyone else can, but she also shouldn't be punished MORE than others just because people are annoyed by her (for whatever reason) or find her morally repugnant or whatever. I find her basically repulsive, but that's not enough to send her to jail, is it??
Here's an article that I found to be pretty accurate on this whole mess. I agree with 97% of it (except for a word here or there, particularly about feeling "sympathy" for her). I do like the part about some who are most pleased by Paris's situation are coming from a position of envy, and the part where it says "Under healthier circumstances, Hilton’s “bad girl” antics would have been of concern only to her family and close friends." There's a lot of good stuff in here, actually, read it and think about it:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/jun2007/hilt-j09.shtml