Tenterhooks
No word on the possible execution yet. Tookie Williams could be granted "clemency". Clemency means "mercy" and has no relation to whether someone is guilty or innocent.
Don't know whether this guy is or not, though no physical evidence has tied this guy to the crime he is to be executed for, blacks were systematically excluded from the jury, among other factors that could weigh in on whether he actually got a fair trial. I hear the prosecutor called Williams a "Bengal Tiger" who would kill again if released back to his "natural habitat".
I am dreading this execution for many reasons, not the least of which is the disruption to the neighborhood and possible objections to my having loaned KPFA radio my parking spot.
I'm afraid the neighborhood dysphoric and self appointed czar of all parking issues, Cynthia next door will make an issue out of it.
She's already made an issue about our parking spaces and whether she takes it to our landlord, Myra or not remains to be seen but Cynthia has not endeared herself to Myra in the past. She's called her and complained about Theresa's old truck, though it doesn't affect the quality of life for her personally.
The last execution was ghastly, casting a pall on everyone aware of it, contaminating the atmosphere with the knowledge of ourshared guilt for allowing this kind of vengeance to be carried out in our name as a society.
posted by Nutmeg at 4:11 AM
3 Comments:
It's so surreal when you think this movie star who got juggernauted into the office of governor will decide this guy's fate.
Even if Tookie is a criminal, isn't he a shining example of rehablitaion who has now, for a long time done so much good work and has so much power to speak to the very people who could be considering, or are already involved in a life of crime to reverse their path? He is useful to the state.
To kill him now, would be to kill the very symbol of reabilitation , active contrition and the sucess of our penal system.
Why can this country think only in terms of white hat/black hat, cowboys/indians, terrorist/bush supporter?
"As one reads history, one is sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have commited, but by the punishment that the good have inflicted: and a community is infinitely more brutalized by the habtual employment of punishment, than it is by the occassional occurence of crime."
Oscar Wilde
Legendary Hollywod Star and lousy actress, Susan Hayward in the movie " I Want To Live" is asked by a flock of reporters how it feels to be sentenced to the gas chamberto which she yells,
"HOW THE HELL DO YA THINK IT FEELS?!".
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