Tookie Williams, in case you haven't heard, is the founder of the 'Crips' gang. Since he murdered four people, and got caught, and got tried, and got convicted, and got sentenced to death, It's hard to understand just how a thug who started an organization which caused so much violence and death could be considered for clemency - yet some in Hollywood have taken up the banner of clemeny for him.
I don't understand the passion that some folks have for murderers. There's been some argument that he's turned himself around, that he rehabilitated himself on death row.
Well, that really helps the folks he killed, doesn't it? And the folks who've been terrorized by the Crips, the murder victims of gang warfare, and all the baggage that's gone along with the whole gang scene.
But now, there's apparently threats of violence if he's killed.
NBC 4 - News - Council Members Urge Calm Over 'Tookie' Williams DecisionsWell, I guess we'll see.With less than four days to go before Williams' scheduled Tuesday execution, sporadic-yet-credible threats of civil unrest have prompted the council members and representatives from the city and county human relations commissions to ask religious leaders to emphasize a message of peace during weekend services.
"We picked up information that led us to believe that there were some planned and intentioned acts of violence that could occur in the wake of the decision or the execution planned for Stan "Tookie" Williams," Robin Toma, executive director of the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission, said during a news conference at City Hall.
Toma declined to list the affected communities or elaborate on the threats.
Councilman Bernard Parks said he spoke earlier today about potential civil unrest with Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Earl Paysinger of the South Bureau.
The Crips street gang, founded in 1971 in South Central Los Angeles, went on to become one of the most violent and widespread in the United States.It's possible to screw up badly, yet earn redemption. However - murder is something that's exremely hard to atone and gain redemption for - and writing kid's books and speaking against gangs helps a bit.Family members of Williams' victims say he should be put to death for his actions.
But Williams's supporters say he has reformed because he spent much of the past 24 years writing children's books and teaching at-risk youth about the dangers of gangs. Supporters also have nominated him for Nobel prizes, for peace and in literature.
"For those who believe in redemption, they should remember that for the past 13 years, Mr. Williams has been talking about peace, not violence," Councilman Herb Wesson said. "I think the biggest tribute they could pay to him is to ensure that whatever happens ... they should be respectful to how he lived his life for the last 13 years."
But, IMHO, not enough to gain a commutation to life in prison. When your past catches up to you - the best thing to do is face it square on. Apologize, and take your punishment.
And in this case - the punishment is death.
J.
Comments (2)
Honestly, you can expect people to 'take their punishment' when its time in prison... or when its 32 lashes with a cane, or when its any number of things. But expecting any individual who isn't suicidal himself to 'take the punishment' of death is silly. Most people don't self-terminate and most people aren't complicit in their termination.
As for the threats of civil unrest, well... I can't say I agree with those making the threats, but I can definitely understand how putting any leader or founder to death could cause such things. Just imagine what would have happened if the leader of the black panthers was put to death... or ghandi... or al-Sadr.
When people love their leader, they will threaten violence upon their termination. It's just the way it goes. This leads to interesting policies sometimes. It's the reason Gandhi wasn't sentenced to death or confined to life in prison. His following was large and his termination would have caused more violent elements to rise out of the Indian Nationalist movement.
Am I seriously comparing this tookie to Gandhi? Of course not... He's obviously a unique case. But he's no OBL either. Do I think he should be granted the benefit of the doubt? Tough to say... so I'll not say anything ;) Either way, I can at least understand why some would threaten violence at his death.
Posted by rawb | December 11, 2005 5:59 PM
Posted on December 11, 2005 17:59
One of the hallmarks of being an adult, in my estimation, is taking responsibility for the things you do - both good and bad. You do bad and admit it, and then take RESPONSIBILITY for it, then you take the punishment for it.
There's an old saying in the military - "One Aw-Shit cancels out a thousand attaboys". This guy accumulated a whole lot of 'Aw-Shits' before he even started thinking about what an Attaboy could do for his future. Sure, people can be stupid - but this guy went out of his way to accumulate the strikes against him. Those won't be canceled by simply writing kids books and telling them to stay out of jail.
It's interesting you noted "When people love their leader, they will threaten violence upon their termination. It's just the way it goes. This leads to interesting policies sometimes. It's the reason Gandhi wasn't sentenced to death or confined to life in prison. His following was large and his termination would have caused more violent elements to rise out of the Indian Nationalist movement."
It also didn't hurt that he was going up against a culture that had self-internalized a sense of 'fair play'. Ghandi against a German or Russian administration wouldn't have lasted long - he'd have been taken out and shot pretty quick.
J.
Posted by JLawson | December 12, 2005 10:18 AM
Posted on December 12, 2005 10:18