On Tookie
I don't know about "probably innocent." It does seem in question, but he was convicted, and, in 26 years, there hasn't been compelling evidence to overturn the ruling.
I'm torn on it. On the one hand, I oppose the death penalty. On the other, if you're going to have a death penalty, this execution would have to happen, otherwise you risk a crop of copycat convicts writing children's books to get out of their sentence (whether or not Tookie was sincere). But then, undermining the death penalty is one strategy to get it abolished in the long run, and all those inmates' children's books might be useful, whether or not they are sincere. Or it might just make being a death row inmate look cool. I do think that the argument made by Tookie supporters that he would have been more valuable alive in order to continue his anti-gang work carries a lot of weight to it.
And I'll say this - quotes like the following really bug the hell out of me:
"Monday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger denied Williams' request for clemency, suggesting that his supposed change of heart was not genuine because he had not shown any real remorse for the killings committed by the Crips."
*blink* His remorse wasn't genuine because his remorse wasn't genuine? What the fuck does that mean?
I'm torn on it. On the one hand, I oppose the death penalty. On the other, if you're going to have a death penalty, this execution would have to happen, otherwise you risk a crop of copycat convicts writing children's books to get out of their sentence (whether or not Tookie was sincere). But then, undermining the death penalty is one strategy to get it abolished in the long run, and all those inmates' children's books might be useful, whether or not they are sincere. Or it might just make being a death row inmate look cool. I do think that the argument made by Tookie supporters that he would have been more valuable alive in order to continue his anti-gang work carries a lot of weight to it.
And I'll say this - quotes like the following really bug the hell out of me:
"Monday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger denied Williams' request for clemency, suggesting that his supposed change of heart was not genuine because he had not shown any real remorse for the killings committed by the Crips."
*blink* His remorse wasn't genuine because his remorse wasn't genuine? What the fuck does that mean?