I was sitting by myself in a waiting room today, watching cable news when the Moussaoui verdict was announced, and Chris Matthews began his annoying spin on the situation. Honestly, I wasn’t really paying attention to what Matthews was saying at first, because I was overcome with a very unfamiliar sensation that can only be described as hope. It was wonderful.
Certain people will probably condemn me for that feeling. I’m soft on crime. I’m anti-American. I’m on the terrorists' side. That’s their right. They can label me as they wish.
Does Zacarias Moussaoui deserve to die for what he did (or didn’t do, actually)? Absolutely. His willful misleading of investigators did result in the deaths of thousands of people. No, he doesn’t deserve to take another breath of air. Period.
But a jury decided to spare his life anyway.
They spared the life of a man who has forfeited his right to live. I cannot think of any more beautiful thought.
Tonight I’m going to sleep better than I have in years, knowing that my country is greater than the terrorists who seek to destroy it. And it’s not because we have more guns, bigger armies or an unwavering resolve to “smoke ‘em out.” Rather it’s because, at the end of the day, we still have a country where a jury of average people is allowed to use reason, intelligence and compassion to go against popular opinion, and even the will of their government, and take mercy on an enemy who did nothing to deserve that mercy, and spits in the face of it.
In the same situation, would our enemies behave the same?
This is what sets us apart from them.
Some people still believe that there are other ways to solve problems besides killing other people. Score one for enlightenment.
6 Comments:
Yes, I agree totally. One of the hardest aspects of freedom is maintaining the moral high ground. We sentence a killer to life because we hope we're on a higher level than they are. The Constitution protects our right to burn the American flag, because that is the price of free expression. As outrageous as some Americans find these actions, they are necessary for the preservation of the American concept.
If nothing else, these are the actions that will show the world how great democracy can be. It certainly beats the barrel of a gun.
My thoughts exactly, Ian. Right on.
Nick, taxpayers pay for execution too. Quite a lot, really.
Anyway, what is the purpose of killing people who want to die?
Oh Nick, as always, you are a shining beacon of the Culture of Life.
Nick, you say "I'd rather pay to take maggot rapists and killers out of this world than pay for them to eat, lift weights and watch TV." Actually, Nick, a death penalty trial is far more costly to the US taxpayer than a life sentence. The average capital case, with its mandatory appeal system, costs anywhere between $2 million and 4 million. The price of incarceration averages about $30,000 a year. Meaning that even if a convict lives 50 years, it still costs less than execution.
Ah, facts. every once in a while, they come in handy.
Ian, how's this for an analogy- if we feed an imprisoned muslim pork, we should also force conservatives to turn their back on their beliefs and be fiscally irresponsoble... wait, they're doing that on their own.
You're right, this is hard!
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