I realize that a great many people see the world in very cut and dry ways: black and white, yes and no, life and death. I'm not a huge proponent of that. I think that much of what we experience and create exists in more of a gray zone. However life and death is the combo that seems to be more fixed than any other. Yes, I realize that there is still some wiggle room in there but for the purposes of this discussion we are going to leave that alone.
I want to talk with you all today about a very tricky subject, a not very nice subject. The Death Penalty. With the Death Penalty there is no gray zone (I don't think that this is a lower case subject matter so please excuse the free form grammar). Yes, you may be on the fence about it, or only condone it in certain situations, but what it comes down to in the end is this: You cannot un-kill someone. Dead is Dead. To me, that is the most important part of the discussion because I simply do not think that We the People should execute anyone if there is any doubt about his or her guilt.
Seems simple, right?
End of story.
Except not really.
The following is from the Amnesty International USA fact sheet about Troy Davis.
Troy Davis has been on death row for more than 18 years for the murder of police officer Mark Allen MacPhail in Savannah, Georgia. His compelling case of innocence raises critical questions about the death penalty and the larger criminal justice system.
The weapon used in the crime was never found
The case against him consists entirely of witness testimony
Seven of the nine non-police witnesses have recanted or contradicted their testimonies
Many of the witnesses have stated that they were pressured or coerced by police
One of the two witnesses who has not recanted or contradicted testimony is the principal alternative suspect
Nine individuals have signed affidavits implicating the alternative suspect
Troy Davis’ appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court was denied this morning [March 28, 2011]. This puts him at risk of an execution date within as few as two weeks. We are concerned, but we remain determined in our fight to prevent him from being executed!
Now is the time to mobilize our clemency campaign to prevent his execution. The State Board of Pardons and Paroles is the entity (not the governor) who can spare Troy Davis and who can commute his sentence to life.
I can say in all honesty that Death Penalty Abolition was never something I thought I would be involved in, and since we are being honest here, you should know that it is a subject that I still wrestle with. But here is the thing, you know I love America and being American, and part and parcel of that love is my love for the Constitution and American ideology. And to me what it boils down to is this, the way that the Criminal Justice System in this country is being misused and abused, especially in regards to the Death Penalty. It's couched in secrecy and misinformation, it's racial and economically biased, it is arbitrary and capricious, hiding the facts from the citizens who are paying for it and are culpable for it's mistakes.
And really, Capital Punishment? I say call a spade a spade - Capital Punishment is nothing less than Official State Killings. If we are asking for transparency in our government, being honest about what goes on in the Criminal Justice System should be one of the first places we start.
However, there are still things that can be done to save Troy's life - and at this point exoneration isn't even on the table. We are simply asking that the State of Georgie not kill a man that they cannot prove 100%, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is guilty of the crime for which he has spent his entire adult life in prison for.
What are the steps you ask? Here is what Amnesty International is asking:
1) Please continue to amass petitions on Troy Davis’ behalf
-spread the online petition
Peace, Peeps.
Speak Up and Speak Outhttp://tinyurl.com/l79wpy http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/pdf/TroyDavisPetition.pdf http://www.amnestyusa.org/pdf/clergy%20sign-on%20letter-10-22-10%20final.pdf http://www.amnestyusa.org/pdf/legal%20sign-on%20letter-10-22-10%20final.pdf http://tinyurl.com/4o9zdg8
3) Be prepared to come out for an international day of solidarity
If an execution date gets scheduled, which is now very likely, we will hold a day of action. We will join our voices across the U.S. and across the world to tell the parole board in Atlanta that Troy Davis must not be executed. Vigils, tabling, street-corner demos and other activities will be encouraged on this day. We will use this action to drive up the number of petitions and generate media visibility. Stay tuned for a date and instructions.
4) Spread the news
Here’s our press statement:
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/deathpenalty/troy-davis-appeal-denied-execution-date-could-loom/
Please tweet and Facebook-share the blog entry:
www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/069/2009
Read Amnesty International’s report: ’Unconscionable and Unconstitutional’: Troy Davis Facing Fourth Execution Date in Two Years
www.JusticeforTroy.orgVisit
Let’s all tell Georgia: Especially when there’s doubt, do not execute!
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