NAACP Calls For Sparing Williams
Shay
In his first public appearance in California since taking charge of the NAACP in August, Bruce Gordon urged Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to commute the death sentence to life in prison. In a news conference, Mr. Gordon said, "If we believe prison is intended for reform and we believe the criminal justice system makes mistakes," then Williams should be spared.
The cross-state trek has its critics. That kind of talk "irritates the hell out of me," said Joe Hicks, vice president of Community Advocate, former director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and a black conservative. "There are lots of issues conflicting black people all over the country, and to have this be one of the first official acts of the NAACP's new president is frankly depressing," he said. "That this man chose to take up the cause of a thug who killed four people and then was found guilty by four courts is outrageous."
Mr. Gordon said of a meeting with the convict, "As I looked in Stan's eyes, I think I spoke to an honest man. Williams is our new partner. He is our secret weapon in the fight to help young African Americans reject gangs. Williams will have a powerful impact not just in Los Angeles, not just in California, but throughout the nation."
I'm 100% with Joe Hicks here. The NAACP merely exposes its moral bankruptcy. When has it ever done a tour on behalf of crime victims urging for stiffer penalties for crimes? Williams has not apologized for killing four people in cold blood, has sold few of his books so minimal reach. He has not repudiated his Crips ties, and refuses to help law enforcement officials root out the gang. Sparing this thug is more important than black crime victims and pushing to address the racial disparity of lesser jail time for people - regardless of race - who kill black people? I was a supporter of Mr. Gordon's ascension as NAACP head. I hoped that with his strong business background, that he would push the organization to focus more on economic empowerment. Shameful that the NAACP has become the National Association for the Advancement of Murderous Colored People. I'm hot right now.
Good point. Mona Charen has put together a pretty convincing case in her book Do-Gooders that changes in the 1960s making it harder to prosecute criminals has badly hurt minorities, esp. blacks.
There was apparently a fixation at the time on the idea that poverty caused crime, whereas today we know that generally the reverse is true. No one wants to start a business where they stand a relatively high chance of being robbed or vandalized. Giuliani's revitalization of New York shows what kind of change can be wrought by effective policing.
But I see no reason at all to believe that it's made one in this case.
(Nor do I believe that the general purpose of prison is reform, though that's ideally one of its purposes for those who are willing and capable.)
Last weekend, I was watching BET and saw a commercial touting its special (which airs tonight) about the Tookie Williams case. When I heard the announcer state "our Nobel Prize nominee" - as though he was Dr. King or something - I did a double take and shook my head. Simply ridicolous.
Luckily, there are others who are speaking out. Earl Ofari Hutchinson says he got an avalanche of angry emails in response to an op-ed that he recently did on BlackNews.com which suggested clemency for Tookie Williams, and he did a follow-up column about how there is division within Black America re: the death penalty (for the record: 49% of black Americans oppose it for adults, 44% favor it, 7% no opinion). And there's been a black lady (whose name I forget right now) whose son was killed by gangbangers in a drive-by shooting who has been leading the charge on cable television arguing against clemency for Tookie.
Dean, the four murders that he was convicted of in 1979 - the felony murders for which he is on Death Row - were against three Asians and one white guy, in two separate incidents. But I argue that those are just the ones that we know about here and there are probably others given that he is a co-founder of the Crips.
"You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
Mathew 5:38-46
I think the NCAAP has gone overboard. It went loony a long time ago.
But I find myself in the same boat with them on this one, although for clearly different reasons.
Sorry, mikeca, the irony was just too good to pass up.
Mike: Heh. Martin got ya.
John: I am about 80% of the way with you. I think the criminal justice system works but it does make mistakes. Therefore the highest standards of evidence must be used for death penalty cases. But I have seen anything to make me think this guy isn't guilty. His defenders say he's guilty and is merely reformed.
Huh.
Fortunately, I'm an agnostic and can ignore J.C. with impunity.
Gas the S.O.B.
Mr. Stanley Tookie Williams is suffering from justice denied but has been given the courtesy of 25 years of a compassionate appeal process. Unfortunately the California Supremes have accepted his last appeal card and will be issuing no more. Seems the fellow was legally tried, convicted and sentenced.
Come December 13,2005, the world will be saying prayers for the late departed Mr. Williams.
Several other things: that quote was not from Calvary, it was not an anti-death-penalty statement, and Jesus never did make any anti-death-penalty statements on Calvary or elsewhere.
I did not feel that way even five years ago, and perhaps if one of my immediate family were the victim I might change my mind again, but I don't think so.
I just don't see any greater benefit being served anymore, particularly since not a few have ended up on death row erroneously. That most seem to have been saved by the system before being put to death is, of course, great. But it's hard cheese for those that didn't get saved.
I find it both intellectually and morally easier to say, "Don't execute."
And I guess that even goes for mass murderers like Saddam. I can, however, comfort myself in knowing that I don't have a vote in that particular matter. If Iraqi law executes him, I won't shed a tear, lose a second of sleep. I just don't want it on my conscience.
I note that it is 8 years old.
I note that it does not mention his victims, nor apologizes to the surviving family members of his victims.
At best, I'd give it a C-.
I'm not a big fan of the death penalty. If it came up for a vote, I'd probably vote against it. But it is the law, and it certainly is constitutional, and, if mass murderers are most subject to this penalty, then Williams seems like a good fit.
He certainly wasn't wrongly convicted -- and putting out a few children's book is not sufficient for true redemption.
Barnes, Hank
Hardly.
My personal opinion is there is nothing morally wrong with the death penalty for murders, but I don’t think our government or any government can be trusted to administer it fairly.
I do find it interesting that many Christian who favor using religious principal to guide government policy on issues like abortion and homosexual rights, seem to forget about passages like the one I quoted when talking about the death penalty. I have heard many of them quote the old testament “eye for an eye” passage, without seeming to realize what Jesus said on this subject.
I don’t know much about the specifics of the Williams case. I have heard that he has attempted to reform his life and encourages young people to stay out of gangs. I think the Christian think to do would be to commute his sentence to a life sentence and let Mr. Williams be judged by his maker.
I'm confused - what is the aging group they want to rejuvenate? The Crips or NAACP?
Teri