When I began this blog in 2001, I was appalled by President Bush's headlong rush to an illegal war (we were not in fact under attack). As time wore on and Bush began his assault on the Constitution and any people bold enough to criticize, I believed that "the republic is endangered more by actions of our own government than by those of any terrorist." With the election of a high-minded, compassionate, intelligent man like Barack Obama, my fears have ceased.
"Honor them with peace, not war"
United for Peace
Sunday, January 12, 2003
I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death. --Justice Harry A. Blackmun
This was quoted by outgoing Illinois Gov. George Ryan, who commuted the death sentences of 163 men and four women to prison terms of life (or less), the day after he had pardoned outright four others who were on death row. In reviewing death row cases, Gov. Ryan had found them riddled with the demon of error: error in determining guilt and error in determining who among the guilty deserves to die.
He took the sort of principled stand I associate with former Gov. Weicker and the fictional Oval Office incumbent on the tv show West Wing.
Gov. Ryan left office, declining to seek a second term, largely because of a burgeoning scandal in the licensing bureau related to bribe-taking by the licensers; most of the bribe money ended up in Ryan's campaign coffers.
It's a bit hard for me to figure how a man taking a principled stand in one area could so callously disregard what is right in another. We probably cannot argue that he felt letting recent immigrants buya license with a campaign donation was right. Practical in some way, perhaps, but not right.
Copyright © 2001-03 Pam Shorey
(except the specific sources credited in quotes)
Principled stand against death row
I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death. --Justice Harry A. Blackmun
This was quoted by outgoing Illinois Gov. George Ryan, who commuted the death sentences of 163 men and four women to prison terms of life (or less), the day after he had pardoned outright four others who were on death row. In reviewing death row cases, Gov. Ryan had found them riddled with the demon of error: error in determining guilt and error in determining who among the guilty deserves to die.
He took the sort of principled stand I associate with former Gov. Weicker and the fictional Oval Office incumbent on the tv show West Wing.
Gov. Ryan left office, declining to seek a second term, largely because of a burgeoning scandal in the licensing bureau related to bribe-taking by the licensers; most of the bribe money ended up in Ryan's campaign coffers.
It's a bit hard for me to figure how a man taking a principled stand in one area could so callously disregard what is right in another. We probably cannot argue that he felt letting recent immigrants buya license with a campaign donation was right. Practical in some way, perhaps, but not right.
Palema
7:41 AM
Comments:
Post a Comment
Copyright © 2001-03 Pam Shorey
(except the specific sources credited in quotes)
|
|