In These Times

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• • 19 Jan 06
  • 12:08 am

  Tookie was responsible for HOW many deaths again? They only tagged four directly on him, but as the founder of one of the most vile, murderous street gangs in history his worthless hide was stained with the blood of thousands. Fuck him.

  Posted to Reflections on Tookie's Execution

• • 19 Jan 06
  • 9:59 am

  I am not actually in favor of the death penalty, although this stance is not based in any way on any kind of "moral" ground. I find nothing immoral about putting down sick animals like Tookie. As someone adroitly stated, the needle is far too kind a death for a pig like him. My issue with the death penalty is its "execution," pun definitely intended. It is so biased towards the wealthy in its administration and is tilted heavily against the underprivileged, minority and low-income population in this country. There are actual accounts of poor defense teams literally sleeping on the …

  Posted to Reflections on Tookie's Execution

• • 19 Jan 06
  • 9:00 pm

  Rosebud - "ask God for redemption?" Are you kidding me? I don't think it's expressing "hate and venom" to suggest that the kumbaya treatment Muwakkil suggests is a tad overboard. Rather, methinks it's more calling it like it is. Muwakkil - and apparently yourself - also seem only too eager to sidestep or minimize who this animal was. The reality is that we're not discussing some low-level gangbanger. In theory I do agree with you, there are far-reaching social issues at play that generally lead people to gangs, because any reasonable, thinking person realizes that gang life doesn't carry a long …

  Posted to Reflections on Tookie's Execution

• • 20 Jan 06
  • 9:32 am

  "America created Tookie Williams, a destructive life taking monster." Interesting... so there's no personal responsibility involved here? There are millions of people from the same disadvantaged and economic class - how is it that "America" picked Tookie above all these other fine folks? Don't get me wrong; if Rosebud or Rocco actually took the time to read my comments you'd see that in the end game we're virtually on the same page, although perhaps we took different paths to get there. I actually DON'T support the death penalty - as I stated - because of its unfair and biased application. All …

  Posted to Reflections on Tookie's Execution

• • 20 Jan 06
  • 10:53 am

  Rocco, interesting questions!! A nice discussion, for sure. You queried about empathy for the victims vs. Tookie, especially taking into account the fact that a lot of his "victims" were likely gang-bangers themselves. Can you have empathy for people who make a conscious decision to enter into that lifestyle, knowing what the risks are? Perhaps. But I'm more sympathetic to the innocent bystanders caught in the gunfire of Tookie and his minions. That's who I really feel for. A good question on ethics/morality... to me, one doesn't need God/Allah/Elvis to understand on an inherent basis that things like murder, rape, theft …

  Posted to Reflections on Tookie's Execution