Who Would Jesus Vote For? » Justice

Dodds Retroactive Immunity Ammendment Fails

William — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:17:49 +0000

Just got this from Think Progress. The Dodd/Feingold amendment to strip the retroactive immunity provisions from the FISA bill failed to get the 51 votes needed. The final tally was 31-67. Hillary Clinton also failed to make the vote, though she has spoken in support of removing retroactive immunity in the past and was a co-sponsor (along with Obama). I’m still disappointed in her for not making the vote, I expect more from someone who wants to be given the most important job in the world.

Here is a list of the Democrats who voted against accountability and enforcing the rule of law. If you want to see the official tally here it is. The Democrats would be …

Bayh (D-IN)
Carper (D-DE)
Conrad (D-ND)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lincoln (D-AR)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Webb (D-VA)

Each of thir names link to a contact form so you can let them know how they have betrayed our principles and the rule of law. Expect this to be an election day issue when they want their jobs back. Of course it doesn’t need to be said, but please keep any correspondence professional and polite. Even though we may disagree with their actions we are still better than Republicans. Thanks.

So once again it looks like the Bush administration and their Republican puppets are going to prevent accountability for those who have broken the law.

Lyrical Terrorist Free

William — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:25:54 +0000

Samina Malik A.K.A the Lyrical Terrorist, who was convicted of thought crimes has escaped a long prison sentence (( 12/7/2007 The New York Times Britain: ‘Lyrical Terrorist’ Spared Prison )) . Instead of the 10 years she could have been sentenced she was given a suspended 9 month sentence. Obviously this show of compassion and dare we say common sense from the courts was the right choice. History has shown that you cannot destroy a message by censoring and punishing the writers. Instead in the face of oppression the message only flourashes and grows.

See the story I wrote last month “What’s On Your Bookshelf” for more information on this story and my take on it.

As bad as Samina Malik’s situation was I cant help but think it would be worse in America. I would like some help on this one though. I simply do not have the time to properly research this so I was hoping one of you will. What protections would an American have in the same situation now that Habeas Corpus has been destroyed?

Executing Justice?

William — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 02:22:28 +0000

On Friday a Jury deemed that in the name of justice Lisa Montgomery should be sentenced to death for the horrific killing of 23 year old Bobbi Jo Stinnett. Of course this is not the end of the line for Montgomery, there will be many appeals, and thousands and thousands of dollars spent fighting to have her sentence reduced to life in prison. However this sentencing for a crime so close to home has brought up the morality of the death penalty here in Kansas again.

The murder of Bobbi Jo Stinnett was as heinous a crime as any. The fact that Lisa Montgomery then went on to cut her baby from her belly after strangling her makes it even worse. The evidence is air tight and Lisa Montgomery has confessed to the crime. But even with all that, is there any real justification for the death penalty? We know that the costs of execution are much higher than the costs of life imprisonment. We know that the death penalty has no effect in reducing crime.

So the question is this; is it ever really justice to kill? If you listen to the ravings of the religious right then it is not only justice to kill, but the deed should be done as quickly and brutally as possible. This may seem like a bizarre and hypocritical stand for the culture of life to take but they are always able to pick and choose bible verses to back up their beliefs. The most commonly recited is the ‘Eye for and Eye’ verse from Matthew 5:38-39 ..

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

No wait, that’s the wrong quote. See the problem with getting your morals from the Bible is that there is always another verse that says the exact opposite. Jesus absolutely would not approve of the death penalty. It does not relieve the grief, or reduce the loss for the victims families, and instead spreads the pain and loss to the innocent families of the executed. I for one say that our government should not become a vassal of vengeance for grief stricken families and blood thirsty neocons. I hope that in my lifetime I will see America join Canada and most European nations in banning this barbaric practice.

~ William ~