Monday, December 12, 2005

In which David Discusses Death and Punishment

A Candle In the Darkness I once heard Frank Zappa say: "The only reason to become governor is that you can kill people." Or words to that effect.

Back then the thought that governorship comes with the perq of "deciding life or death" struck me as true and obvious. But no candidate would ever admit to being attracted by this power - out loud.

I heard that the last Governor of California to grant clemency in a death penalty case was Ronald Reagan. Apparently Governor Schwarzenegger heard the blood lust of my fellow citizens and he has abused his power of life or death. Do you think it'll help his re-election chances? (Click here for more on that.)

Stanley "Tookie" Williams seems like a dispicable guy who doesn't deserve clemency. But he doesn't deserve death either. He deserves punishment. I think he should endure the punishments of prison for as long as possible.There'll be plenty of time later to suffer those of an imaginary hell.

Besides, if "Thou Shalt Not Kill" applies to individuals it should also apply to governments. Or at least to Governors.

Politics
Religion
California

2 comments :

Josep said...

I don't think Schwarzenegger is re-elected again. I've heard that Mel Gibson could be the next republican candidate to governor. Is that possible?

Neither Stanley "Tookie" Williams nor any other deserves death. How can any politician think that death will end up with violence? More than 1,000 dead convicts and... where's the end of the crime?

David Ocker said...

I hope California learns not to elect any more inexperienced politicians. Warren Beatty? Yuck. Rob Reiner? Yuck Yuck. Mel Gibson? Yuck Yuck Yuck Yuck.

But don't count Arnold out quite yet. You've got to think of this like a movie plot. We're now at the point where the Termninator has been killed, blown to bits, is completely out of the picture. But then . . suddenly . . . there's a twitch of a motor, a little red light blinks on . . . and he rises again to the final victory. I'm sure that's the script the Governator wants to use.