Why are many here so happy.......

[boston bean]

I am shocked and dismayed by many on this board who are gloating and reveling in the fact that a person will be put to death tonite.

I am against the death penalty.

I am for life in prison without the opportunity for parole.

Until this country can guarantee that innocent individuals will not be put to death, it will remain my point of view.

I just don't get it??????????

Why is it so hard for many to believe that to kill many guilty, you may kill a handful of innocents.

Who in their right mind would make that trade off?

[Bluebear]

1. Not only put to death but he will "fry" & "cook"

Disgraceful rhetoric.

[tyedyeto]

8. Don't forget 'he will burn in hell', too.

Disgusting behaviors.

[bosspepper1]

31. Indeed he will

if the Bible is true.... and I trust it is.

[LeftNYC]

2. Can someone point in the right direction for accurate news on this case?

Im outta the loop.

[Codeine]

I'm not happy. I'm not sad.

Tookie sucks. The death penalty sucks. The whole issue sucks and I really don't care about him at all.

[MercutioATC]

5. Agreed.

[medeak]

16. ditto n/t

[not systems]

3. Because many are right wing pigs. n/t

[RagingInMiami]

4. I don't necessarily oppose the DP

But I am not gloating nor reveling about the decision. I was hoping it would go the other way.

[hlthe2b]

6. Afraid of being acused of being a "bleeding heart liberal", I guess

let's see..... bleeding heart liberal or heartless bastard conservative? I'll claim the former, thank you very much--proudly

[ClayZ]

17. I am a proud "Bleeding Heart Liberal", too!

I am shocked at the reaction in these TOOKIE threads.

[medeak]

7. as a victim of a violent crime

I don't think I could ever sit on a jury and make that decision..

but I understand what years of hell victims and their families endure.

[boston bean]

9. I understand, and imagine the years of hell families

of innocent people who have been put to death would feel.

I believe in punishment, life in prison, no parole.

But I will not make the trade off, to kill guilty, you will kill innocents.

[abbeyco]

24. It's nice you want to understand and imagine,

but until you've been in that role, and I have, you'll never get it.

I was anti-DP until I became a victim, and I've lost 2 co-workers to
senseless gang violence - something your dear Tookie helped create.

I'm fed up with reading all of these platitudes about how his life should
be spared. Go talk with the families of his victims and get their perspective
and then see how you feel.

I'm gonna have to ask Skinner for a 'Tookie-free' area until all of this crap
subsides.

[boston bean]

27. and until you have been accused of something you didn't do

and can't prove your innocence, and everyone thinks your guilty, you'll never "get it".

How in the world does killing guilty people give the state the right to kill innocent people.

You know its happened, of course it can't be proven, just like innocence can't be proven sometimes, but 125 people have been released from death row and prison. So, extrapolate that number from the 1002 that have been killed since the 70's. I'm not a mathemetician, but I assume that atleast statistically 1 or 2 innocent people have been killed by the state.

That makes us no better than the murderers we know are guilty.

Oh and by the way, tookie is not dear to me. Innocent people who are imprisoned and killed are.

Until America can 100% guarantee that innocents will not be killed by the death penalty, it should never be used.

[abbeyco]

30. And is Tookie innocent?

I'm fairly certain you cannot factually answer that question. Have you discussed or read at all how the victim's families feel about this situation?

Our justice system is imperfect, even those who administrate the system know that it's imperfect, but it's the best we've got right now. Where is your commpassion for the innocent victims in these cases?

If your only concern is for those on the other side of the bars (who may or may not be innocent) and not the victims in any way, then you're only having half an argument, IMHO.

[boston bean]

32. I don't think he is innocent. What's your point?

Those on the other side of the bars have justice with the punishment of life imprisonment.

How can you so callously espouse the opinion that victims families are the only aggrieved in an instance where and innocent person in put to death.

[abbeyco]

35. My point is that all you whine about

is the possibility that an innocent person may be executed at some point. It's probably already happened and while it's sad, we have an imperfect system. I'm sorry to see an innocent person die, but if it's the price for having a DP system, which happens to be current law of the land, then so be it. If you don't like it, work to overturn it. However, I have yet to hear of one completely innocent person being put to death - unless you can provide me with hard proof, I'll maintain my assumption that it may not have yet occurred.

I don't happen to believe that life behind bars is justice in all cases, especially when the criminal has taken one or more lives. Why should they get a comfortable place to live, 3 meals a day and access to free health care and cable TV? In the cases where the criminal has more amenities than the victims - where do you see the justice and fairness in that? I say we have an imperfect system and unfortunately, those are the results.

Clearly we vehemently disagree on this, but I responded simply because you clearly have not been in the shoes of the victims and you'll never understand how some people, like me who have been a victim, really feel about this issue. You can't walk the miles in my shoes, or those of other victims, so don't pretend that you understand - it's a club I'm sure you'll never, ever want to join.

[boston bean]

36. You're right, I shouldn't "whine" about innocent people getting

the death penalty.

But, do you realize that these innocent people who have been put to death or behind bars because of a failed system are victims, just like you?

I don't want to create any more victims, where as you, on the other hand, justify creating more victims to ease your pain. I don't want to cause anymore pain. One innocent person killed is enough to put me on the other side of the coin.

[Rainbowreflect]

28. I have been on both sides of the issue.

I have lost a friend to murder & had a man who I was close friends with found guilty of murder. He had been a wonderful sweet gentle kid until he became addicted to meth. I am not making excuses for what he did, but killing him would not bring back the person he killed & would have just caused more pain to his family & friends. As well as making us all killers IMHO.
And as angry as I am at the person who killed my friend I know that another death will not take away the pain.

[hlthe2b]

I just don't see how knowing the cause of your own hell...

has been executed, can possibly make one "feel better," experience "closure" or in any way find peace(admittedly, only those who've experienced it can really understand, but I just can't imagine the ghost of my tormentor in my mind, being any better than knowing he lay wasting his remaining life in a prison cell).

I'm sorry that you have experienced this pain... I do hope you find peace, any way you can.

[medeak]

21. am fine thank you

but understand both sides and conflicted. Like I said...could never sit on a jury.

[hlthe2b]

22. Me neither, Medeak, Me neither....

:shrug:

[Wind Dancer]

10. It's beyond my comprehension.

I'm pleading that this decision not be celebrated with glee on this progressive site.

He is a human being - are we not becoming the very thing we despise in others by taking pleasure in this ruling?

[johnnie]

11. With 80,000 plus registered users

How many is "many"?

I'm not happy about it by the way. I just think that by a few people saying that they are happy, it doesn't mean it is a majority of DU'ers.

[boston bean]

no, i don't think its a majority, but look in the other threads, you will

see what i am talking about.


edit to add: don't take it personally.

[GrumpyGreg]

12. I just keep thinking of the fear and terror that his 4 victims had before

they were slaughtered.

Somehow that makes me want to see the last of Tookie.

[MsTryska]

13. well when i think of the damage wrought

by the founding of the crips....the streetcorner bloodbaths, the kids caught in the crossfire, the handfuls, truckfuls, cemetaries full of innocents.....


i got no love for Tookie - and he needs to pay his price.

[Perky]

14. I think there is room for both

I am not opposed to the death penalty if confessed, proven by multiple eyewitnesses. tif those two things are not not in place... Life without parole.

[Catherine Vincent]

15. I thought it was tuesday night?

not that it matters....

[Heddi]

18. He will be put to death at 12:01AM Tuesday (tomorrow)

Just today the California Supreme Court and Gov. Schwarzenegger denied his calls for clemency/stay of execution

[Catherine Vincent]

25. oh, I see. Thanks.

[Xenotime]

19. I AM NOT HAPPY!!!

This country is too kill-happy. They kill people in buildings in New York, on planes by running them into buildings and shooting people on planes, they send perfectly healthy men and women to "war" so they can die there. They sit back and watch natural disaster after natural disaster tear apart our homelands and do nothing. Bodies are still being found in New Orleans and they just shrug it off. There is so much state sanctioned death around here it is sick.

Yet...the politicians stand up infront of people and not a single F'ing person is held accountable.

[stillrockin]

20. Not all of us are, that's for sure.

Help me remember, who was it who said, "Vengence is mine?" :sarcasm:

[MrSlayer]

23. I'm not happy or sad.

I just think justice is served.

[rateyes]

26. The state is executing Tookie....

which means that every citizen of the state is pushing the switch. Those for the DP, those against the DP...We are the government. Ask yourself, whether you are pro or anti death penalty....could YOU be the executioner? Because, in effect, you are. We all are executing Tookie tonight. We have all executed every person put to death by "legal" means in this country...whether they were innocent or guilty....WE did it. It is our government, and we elected leaders who let it happen.

I, personally am opposed to the death penalty on several grounds. 1. It is not a deterrent. 2. It is not administered fairly 3. Some innocent people do die 4. IMHO, it is "cruel and unusual" punishment.

I certainly can, at least come close to understanding the desire for vengeance (which does not always equate to justice, btw) on the part of victims and their families...but, it seems to me (again, humbly speaking) that there has to be some "higher and nobler" way to deal with the pain than needing to exact vengeance---but, of course, that is a lot easier said than done.

But, again in my opinion, more violence doesn't seem to me to be the answer to violence.

Just me.

[walldude]

29. Not a proponent of the DP but

I think people need to find a better poster boy than a man who murdered 4 people in cold blood.

[WindRavenX]

33. lots of people are sick, sad animals

That take joy in other's pain. And this is why the cycle of violence and war will never be broken.

[Blue_In_AK]

34. The only good that can come from this

is that apparently Tookie has redeemed himself and can go to his death in peace knowing that he has perhaps influenced some kids not to follow in his path. I personally feel no joy in his death -- or any other person's.

[Tomee450]

37. I've found some of the posts

simply horrible reflecting a thirst for blood. I've been thinking about this horrible attitude and have come to the conclusion that this nation has many individuals with very dark hearts. The celebratory attitude of some at the the imminent demise of a human being reminds me of all those people who celebrated as people were being lynched. They brought their children and had picnic lunches. The death penalty is wrong and administered unfairly. I read that although blacks are only 12% of the population, a majority of those of those given the death penalty are African American. Yet people continue to support the death penalty.

The death penalty does not deter crime. It is simply vengeance. Even if a member of my family was murdered, I still would oppose the death penalty.