a better day

[threeplusfire]

Thanks to Deb's ingenuity, I've got my black Mary Janes now. We found a shoe store selling Mary Janes at a discount, but they only had brown. I never would have thought to dye the leather black! Heheh, this is fun. A bit of touch ups and a third coat, and they will be perfect. Ahh, shoes for walking over cobblestones.

Picked up my fellowship check and wandered through Calhoun. Talked with Hana and Keith. Stole Erik's copy of Russian Beauty off Keith's shelf so I could give it back to him. He looked so good today, tall, dark and handsome. I just wanted to stay in his dim office all afternoon listening to him type. He had three or four pages of correction notes to get through by Tuesday before he sends his article back.

Walked over to Metro and bought coffee, enjoying the sunshine. I bought myself a pack of Fantasias as an end of semester present . Maybe I just like them because people look twice at a blue or red cigarette. Keith hassles me about smoking every now and then, but then he turns around to ask me for a cigarette. Silliness.

I can't believe this business with the FBI. At least they have a one month stay to sort things out. In a way, I am glad I won't be here to watch. It makes me sad enough to know my government is executing a man. I just can't support that, I can't. Who puts an end to the killing, to the pain? Do you honestly believe watching McVeigh die will somehow assauge your grief over the bombing? Will it really change things? the quotes I've seen in the news are bloodthirsty ones, and it saddens me too.

Comments

[jengirl.livejournal.com]

Yea for getting your shoes! :>

You know, I've read several of your posts on McVeigh and I just can't decide on a side. I don't believe in killing yet I can't help agree with some of the bigger issues like housing costs for jails, etc. And of course, those that kill ... its just not ok to do that. There must be repercussions. Of course, I could never watch. I'm sure its all about anger, vengence and fear. They want to quash the fear. I feel that the anger comes from fear and loss.

Anyway, I hadn't reall thought about it 'till now ... so my thoughts are jumbled and don't make much sense.

Re:

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Good shoes are not a luxury item. :)

About McVeigh... I don't agree with violent terrorism that takse innocent life. I know there are times when violence is surely an option. But I can't condone actions that destroy the lives of say, children.

I understand the anger, the pain, the frustration. It was the same set of emotions, over the federal rampage in Waco, that seems to have driven McVeigh to this act. What is the difference I wonder, between McVeigh's action, and the government's?

It costs less to house a man for fourty years than to execute them. I'm sure Amnesty International would have the exact figures. I'm a little tired so I can't rattle them off. And I think, there is a moral obligation that our government doesn't want to own up to. Our government has the moral obligation to represent its people, to be an instrument of our will. Our government acts in the name of the people of the United States, and in the name of the people of the United States it will kill a man in Terra Haute. I'm not comfortable with that. I can't allow my government to do that in my name.

I don't support the death penalty for a couple of reasons. Largely because I have an enormous moral problem with it, and because I think the system is terribly, fatally flawed. We send mentally incompetant people to death row, we send people who had lawayers sleeping through their trials, or lawyers who showed up high at the courthouse. There is a racist bias, a classist bias in the application of the death penalty. Too many people have been proven innocent by investigators, journalists, the Innonce Project. The idea that we could have possibly executed one innocent person is terrible.

Sorry I'm ranting, and I really should just be polishing my new shoes. But I wanted to let you know what I think about it.

Re:

[jengirl.livejournal.com]

I agree that things are definately not perfect. But, I think of it in fear terms: what would we do if the threat of death wasn't an option for killers? What if there was no consequence?

Would people be safe at all?

Re:

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

The death penalty does not deter criminals from commiting crimes. Statistically speaking. The threat of force from the government does not stop anyone from doing anything they are hell bent on doing, whether it is murdering their family, robbing a liquor store, or blowing up a federal building in protest.

If we are saying that murder is wrong, that one should not commit murder, then how does it follow that the state should retain the right to decide who lives and who dies in certain circumstances? That is abhorrent.

There is always a moment when a person can change, when a person can repent. By executing people the state decides are "unrepentant and a continuing danger" then the state takes away any chance for change. To me, that seems like playing God to make a judgement and then take a life.

Re:

[jengirl.livejournal.com]

*smiles* I agree with that. I'm really not heavy on the issue... its a tough conflict.

housing costs for jails?

[ansat.livejournal.com]

Bigger issues, like housing costs for jails?

What's the dollar value on a human life? How much would I have to pay for the privilage of killing you? That makes no sense to me...

Re: housing costs for jails?

[jengirl.livejournal.com]

Depends. For this man, LIFE.

Re: housing costs for jails?

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

That is the question, isn't it? How much do we value a life in this society? What is deemed to be a life? A child? A mother? A killer? A soldier? A politician? A fetus? An old man? What are those lives worth? Who cares?