One day while on Facebook I started seeing status updates regarding Troy Davis. The things I read were horrifying and made me sad in "the human race." Some of the comments I read were.... "burn in hell, sleep tight Troy, 11:08 dead..."
Wow!
Who are we to judge?
I wasn't in the court room when evidence was being heard.... were you? I wasn't there when officer McPhail was murdered.... were you? I didn't see who pulled the trigger.... did you?
I can not comprehend people taking pleasure or feeling vindicated by another human being losing their life. I realize opinions are like @&&holes and everybody's got one! I'm in no way taking away the fact that an officer was murdered. That officer McPhail's family has had to live with the pain of his death for years.
A friend of mine on Facebook said, "It's not about black and white it's about right and wrong." I realize race may have played a part in this.... but at no point in time should race ever be a factor. There should be absolutely no doubt when sentencing someone to death!
I've never had a family member murdered. I do not know what that feels like. I do know that I would not find peace in the death of another human.
After reading those comments on Facebook, I have little faith in the human race. Do the people making comments about Troy Davis being executed realize that life to them is just as invaluable to them as the person who murdered officer McPhail?
God is the one who will judge us and honestly we have no right.
Listen to Judge Greg Mathis' statement regarding the execution of Troy Davis
"One innocent man put to death, is one too many"
Who are they kidding? It is about race. The very next day a white man in GA was granted clemency. He had confessed to murder, but his death sentence was commuted to life in prison. It is sickening. I don't believe in the death penalty for anyone. I believe in racism even less.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it's always about race. Unless you're OJ and then it's about money. I actually do believe in the death penalty in theory, but our "justice" system has way too many holes in it to have enough faith to say someone is guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
ReplyDeleteIt is always about race and money. As you know, I am from GA, also and I have seen so many cases where justice was miscarried. This is the first that I know of to go this extent. I know of people who have been coerced and basicaly forced to confess to a crime they did not commit and I know of people who were guilty of anything from Drug trafficing to Domestic violence multiple times and got off scott free1 But, put an innocent man in front of a GA judge and watch and see he will be put in prison for life or as in this man's case put to death. This is especially true in Cherokee County. The whole country needs to have a COMPLETE legal system reform!
ReplyDeleteMay this man rest in peace. I did not know who he was before today but, after reading things online and listening to this, I would tend to atleast have a major doubt if not definite doubt that he was guilty.
Thanks everyone for commenting. I feel bad for both parties.... Troy Davis and family as well as officer McPhail and family. Ya know, I wonder if the family of officer McPhail can find peace knowing what happened to Troy Davis and that there was so much doubt.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't sure if I even wanted to blog about this because as you all know my blog is much more light hearted.
I guess the point I was trying to make is how people who didn't even know this man were rejoicing on line that he was about to be executed.... WTF! I can't understand this.
Yes, our legal system needs a major overhaul.
May both their souls RIP....
Tara, great post. After reading this earlier today, it really got me thinking about the topic of people deciding who is "deserving" of punishment in our criminal justice system. I had to write out the facts...here's the link so you can check it out and thank you for the inspiration and for writing about Troy Davis. <3 http://www.biculturalmom.com/2011/09/24/addressing-white-privilege-the-realities-of-incarceration/
ReplyDeleteTwenty years ago I was pro-death penalty. My heart had turned to stone from having witnessed and experienced so much violence. Now, I'm older and wiser, I guess. We are imperfect humans, we make mistakes and our legal system reflects that imperfection. If there's even a minute chance that somebody might be innocent, or that confessions were coerced by dirty interrogation techniques, how can we be so sure that justice is being served? Who are we to judge and condemn to death? A life sentence in prison seems a worse penalty to me. This kind of reminds me of when Osama Bin Laden was killed. Remember all the backlash from that on social media. It's so disrespectful. I don't care who the person is who committed the crime.
ReplyDeleteChantilly,
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting. I read your post. Interesting facts. I had no idea that Latinos were being counted as white. Just proves there is so much people do not know. Education is so important. Thanks for doing the hard work and posting the statistics.
Ezzy,
I agree with everything you wrote. A life sentence in prison seems like a worse penalty to me as well.
I remember when Osama Bin Laden was killed and how people were acting like savages! Cheering in the street, waving flags in front of the whitehouse, etc... I felt so sad at that moment.
I remember watching some news coverage in one of the middle eastern countries after 9/11. A woman was jumping up and down and cheering "death to america"... The way people were acting after the death of BinLaden was no different. It is disrespectful. No matter who the person.
everytime i read something regarding this case i get this horrible feeling. I can't even believe this happened i seriously was waiting for the happy ending. It's sad.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Tara. I totally agree that no matter what happened in my own family I couldn't feel vindicated by the government's taking of another person's life. If something is wrong, it is wrong for everybody, no exceptions. When I was writing my own post about this subject I came across this website http://www.gfadp.org/ It is Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and they seem to have some easy things for people to do to try to stop so many executions--like signing petitions. I don't live in Georgia, but clicked/signed some letters last week. The more voices added to the protest, the more likely things are to change.
ReplyDeleteRuby,
ReplyDeleteI know. It is very sad the whole case...
Jen,
Thanks for passing along the link. I will check it out and sign some petitions myself! I need to go check out your post too.... i must have missed it!
Thanks for commenting ladies! Abrazos (hugs) to you both!