I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT...End Death Penalty, Incarceration!

Published on November 29, 2005 By Gideon MacLeish In Current Events

In the debate on Tookie Williams, I must admit I was wrong.

I was blinded by my own ethos into thinking that murder was somehow wrong, and that Scripture, which condones capital punishment for certain offenses, should be my basis for thinking so. Because, you see, I was trying to integrate religion into my politics.

The death penalty should be done away with entirely. In fact, so should incarceration. Tookie Williams is nothing more than a political prisoner, imprisoned for his oppositional views to our government. He and his 840,000 constituents should be lauded as freedom fighters and freed to express their political views, even if it comes at the expense of 2,000 some youth per year, and in the de facto oppression of millions who are afraid to speak their mind and act out against what they perceive as a reign of terror, but which is, in fact, just another form of political activism.

To be fair, we can no longer judge the thief. His actions were not those of a pilferer, but of an enterprising opportunist. He fueled the economy by "sticking it to" those greedy insurance companies who paid for the actions of his trade. Arsonists? Another form of political activist who simply had the bad fortune to get caught. Pedophiles? "Free love" activists misunderstood by a judgemental public (just ask "Buzzy" Ginsberg).

Yes, all form of retaliation is wrong, and we should be ashamed of ourselves for believing it is right. I would say that we deserve to be jailed, but we're just expressing our opinion after all

Comments

Moderateman

on Nov 29, 2005

tookie williams is a monster gid, But if I start picking and choosing who deserves the death penality, well then I lose myself.

stutefish

on Nov 29, 2005

We have to pick and choose, Mod.

Society has always suffered from members who oppose it and disrupt it. Some response is necessary, or else we have anarchy and mob rule.

In ours, a free society, we have agreed that the only just way to pick and choose is by jury: a group of fellow community members, which gathers to hear the evidence, and determines whether or not the accused is such a threat to peace and life that he must be segregated.

Segregation of wrongdoer is an ancient and necessary custom. Participating in the decision to segregate is the duty of every citizen.

Because if you don't pick and choose, who will? Take some personal responsibility for living in community with others Mod, or give yourself over to the tyranny of judges and kings, and don't complain when they decide justice in your place.

singrdave

on Nov 29, 2005

Mobocracy: Mobocracy describes a state of affairs, in politics or other organizational behavior where decision making procedures, discourse, and process have broken down and a temporary majority forces issues without regard to established norms or the rights of the minority. Its use is generally polemical and often used to argue against direct democracy or other forms of government where all issues are decided by some automatic voting process which gives sweeping powers to the current majority in a jurisidiction, assembly or other deliberative body.
Source: Wikipedia

Blogocracy: See Mobocracy, just bloodless.

thatoneguyinslc

on Nov 29, 2005

You reap what you sow. Tookie killed people...Tookie deserves to die for it.

dharmagrl

on Nov 29, 2005

Because if you don't pick and choose, who will? Take some personal responsibility for living in community with others Mod, or give yourself over to the tyranny of judges and kings, and don't complain when they decide justice in your place.

Excellent point.

ParaTed2k

on Nov 29, 2005

You're right Gid! Do you realize that neither Kidnapping, Child Molestation, Embezzlement, Shop lifting, arson, nor streaking are ever mentioned in the U.S. Constitution?

Until we free those we have locked up against their will, how can we call ourselves the "Land of the Free?"

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