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Must Tookie Be Executed?
Article on the upcoming execution of Tookie Williams, written by Political Prisoner Kalima Aswad.
Must Tookie Be Executed?
By Kalima Aswad
(A Political Prisoner in California)
October 15, 2005
The state of California, backed by the U.S. Supreme Court, says, "Yes, the public is better off by killing Tookie Williams." If it has not already done so, California will set an execution date for Tookie Williams in a few days.
I never met Tookie and haven’t had the pleasure of reading any of the several books he has written, but as an Ex-death row prisoner myself, I feel a need to speak in his behalf. I got off death row 33 years ago and am still in prison. I, along with others who got off death row in 1972, but remain incarcerated, are living proof that public protection is not justified by state imposed murder.
Even if he is guilty, must Tookie die? His case is unique because he has been convicted of murder and he is also credited with saving many from following the path of the crime violence that marked his early life. It is generally accepted that if one kills a person it is as if he killed the whole people. On the other hand, if one saves a life, it is as if he saved the life of the whole people.
One of the things that gives justification to government’s existence is that it protect the people, but not in any way it sees fit. It also has the responsibility of catering to the real needs of its citizens.
The situation in the black communities in California and all across this land is desperate. People are living in a state of fear as gangs run rampant in seas of alcohol, crime, drugs, and violence.
For a long time, people of these communities have been crying out for protection – help from anybody: police (who often turn out to be a bigger source of fear than the gangs they are asked to control), preachers, doctors, lawyers – anybody who can help turn the situation around.
What I’m saying is not difficult to confirm. Turn on any news telecast on any given day and the painful message of another shooting death blares out a mother’s agony at her child being blown away in another senseless act of violence.
"Tookie the Terrible, " from death row, the one held largely responsible for the gang violence, writes from his prison cell on San Quentin’s death row, pleading for young people to turn away from the lifestyles that lead to crime, drugs, and violence, and to turn to education and productive lives.
So forceful have been his efforts that he was nominated more than once for the Nobel Peace Prize, the most prestigious award in the world today. Powerful people in the U.S. opposed the Nobel nominations. "It would be wrong to reward this guy. He is criminal!" they cried.
That is an interesting argument because this nation embarked upon a program of slavery; there was genocide against Native Americans; and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, among other things, that depict an ugly part of its history. It insists that people learn to accept those facts and to "look at what America stands for today."
If it’s right for people to judge America by what it stands for today, isn’t it right for Tookie to be judged the same way? Why is there such an obsession with the notion that people in Tookie’s situation have no redeemable qualities? Richard Nixon and G. Gordon Liddy, etc. of the Watergate era could do it and so could Alabama’s governor George Wallace, but for a nobody like Tookie, "he can’t contribute anything to society." That’s why they execute people, they say.
I think there are at least two other reasons California is in such a hurry to execute Tookie. One, the state has failed miserably in its own method of dealing with the gang/violence problems and it needs to make an example out of someone to cover up its own ineptness. The second reason is that because he has the ability to reach out and help young people change their lives around it makes the state’s ineptness even more apparent.
Former governor and so-called liberal, Jerry Brown wants to run for the State Attorney General’s Office. It would be interesting to see what he has to say on the issue of whether under the circumstances of Tookie turning his life around the way he did, executing him would be more beneficial to the people of California and the nation than commuting his sentence to life in prison.
By Kalima Aswad
(A Political Prisoner in California)
October 15, 2005
The state of California, backed by the U.S. Supreme Court, says, "Yes, the public is better off by killing Tookie Williams." If it has not already done so, California will set an execution date for Tookie Williams in a few days.
I never met Tookie and haven’t had the pleasure of reading any of the several books he has written, but as an Ex-death row prisoner myself, I feel a need to speak in his behalf. I got off death row 33 years ago and am still in prison. I, along with others who got off death row in 1972, but remain incarcerated, are living proof that public protection is not justified by state imposed murder.
Even if he is guilty, must Tookie die? His case is unique because he has been convicted of murder and he is also credited with saving many from following the path of the crime violence that marked his early life. It is generally accepted that if one kills a person it is as if he killed the whole people. On the other hand, if one saves a life, it is as if he saved the life of the whole people.
One of the things that gives justification to government’s existence is that it protect the people, but not in any way it sees fit. It also has the responsibility of catering to the real needs of its citizens.
The situation in the black communities in California and all across this land is desperate. People are living in a state of fear as gangs run rampant in seas of alcohol, crime, drugs, and violence.
For a long time, people of these communities have been crying out for protection – help from anybody: police (who often turn out to be a bigger source of fear than the gangs they are asked to control), preachers, doctors, lawyers – anybody who can help turn the situation around.
What I’m saying is not difficult to confirm. Turn on any news telecast on any given day and the painful message of another shooting death blares out a mother’s agony at her child being blown away in another senseless act of violence.
"Tookie the Terrible, " from death row, the one held largely responsible for the gang violence, writes from his prison cell on San Quentin’s death row, pleading for young people to turn away from the lifestyles that lead to crime, drugs, and violence, and to turn to education and productive lives.
So forceful have been his efforts that he was nominated more than once for the Nobel Peace Prize, the most prestigious award in the world today. Powerful people in the U.S. opposed the Nobel nominations. "It would be wrong to reward this guy. He is criminal!" they cried.
That is an interesting argument because this nation embarked upon a program of slavery; there was genocide against Native Americans; and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, among other things, that depict an ugly part of its history. It insists that people learn to accept those facts and to "look at what America stands for today."
If it’s right for people to judge America by what it stands for today, isn’t it right for Tookie to be judged the same way? Why is there such an obsession with the notion that people in Tookie’s situation have no redeemable qualities? Richard Nixon and G. Gordon Liddy, etc. of the Watergate era could do it and so could Alabama’s governor George Wallace, but for a nobody like Tookie, "he can’t contribute anything to society." That’s why they execute people, they say.
I think there are at least two other reasons California is in such a hurry to execute Tookie. One, the state has failed miserably in its own method of dealing with the gang/violence problems and it needs to make an example out of someone to cover up its own ineptness. The second reason is that because he has the ability to reach out and help young people change their lives around it makes the state’s ineptness even more apparent.
Former governor and so-called liberal, Jerry Brown wants to run for the State Attorney General’s Office. It would be interesting to see what he has to say on the issue of whether under the circumstances of Tookie turning his life around the way he did, executing him would be more beneficial to the people of California and the nation than commuting his sentence to life in prison.
For more information:
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But Arnold Schwarznegger may simply be vindictive, or overly concerned with proving to his "base" how tough on crime he is.
Aside from the dozens of reasons why the death penalty is wrong generally, in Tookie's individual case, there was prosecutorial misconduct involving comparing Tookie to a tiger in a jungle for the all-white jury. That death penalties are awarded black men disproportionately to any other segment of the population is a known fact. That hundreds of former death row inmates were cleared completely by DNA tests which were unavailable at their convictions shows that we cannot trust the verdict sufficiently to take a human life for it.
Tookie Williams has turned his life around, and has, even from jail, been a positive voice and influence for black, inner city youth who are tempted to get involved in gangs.
While I see nothing wrong with young blacks or young latinos hanging out together socially, the problem begins when those gangs of youth get involved in criminal activies such as violent assaults on other gang members, or other crimes such as burglaries or illegal drug networks.
In my own community in Santa Cruz, we have a problem with gangs of white, "neo-nazi" (their word) youth who like to beat up homeless people for sport. Rumors fly that they are the children of police officers so they are rarely charged with any of the crimes they commit.
Leaders like Tookie Williams, who know the ropes, have walked the walk, and can see thru the bullshit, are in rare supply, and what is needed. His value alive is of far greater benefit for society than his death would ever be.
Redemption should be a popular theme: George W. Bush put that bottle of Jim Beam down (and the cocaine and pills...) and went on to become president of the United States. (okay, bad example).
Jesus taught the parable of the prodigal son, who despite wasting years estranged and occupied with wine, women, and song, returned home to share equally in his fathers inheritance.
Speaking of Jesus, he said to forgive 7 times 70.
Dr. Phil says that forgiveness is part of the 12-step programs. The person being forgiven must have genuinely reformed, regrets past behavior, and wants to atone. Tookie Williams fits this description with whipped cream and a cherry on top.
And didn't Arnold Schwartzenegger used to use steroids? These dangerous, illegal drugs were so common in the body-building world. But he has stopped using them, and counsels young people to not use them, doesn't he? We forgave him and elected him governor.
Can Arnold follow the example of the citizens of California who forgave him his past misbehaviors and elected him governor?
Aside from the dozens of reasons why the death penalty is wrong generally, in Tookie's individual case, there was prosecutorial misconduct involving comparing Tookie to a tiger in a jungle for the all-white jury. That death penalties are awarded black men disproportionately to any other segment of the population is a known fact. That hundreds of former death row inmates were cleared completely by DNA tests which were unavailable at their convictions shows that we cannot trust the verdict sufficiently to take a human life for it.
Tookie Williams has turned his life around, and has, even from jail, been a positive voice and influence for black, inner city youth who are tempted to get involved in gangs.
While I see nothing wrong with young blacks or young latinos hanging out together socially, the problem begins when those gangs of youth get involved in criminal activies such as violent assaults on other gang members, or other crimes such as burglaries or illegal drug networks.
In my own community in Santa Cruz, we have a problem with gangs of white, "neo-nazi" (their word) youth who like to beat up homeless people for sport. Rumors fly that they are the children of police officers so they are rarely charged with any of the crimes they commit.
Leaders like Tookie Williams, who know the ropes, have walked the walk, and can see thru the bullshit, are in rare supply, and what is needed. His value alive is of far greater benefit for society than his death would ever be.
Redemption should be a popular theme: George W. Bush put that bottle of Jim Beam down (and the cocaine and pills...) and went on to become president of the United States. (okay, bad example).
Jesus taught the parable of the prodigal son, who despite wasting years estranged and occupied with wine, women, and song, returned home to share equally in his fathers inheritance.
Speaking of Jesus, he said to forgive 7 times 70.
Dr. Phil says that forgiveness is part of the 12-step programs. The person being forgiven must have genuinely reformed, regrets past behavior, and wants to atone. Tookie Williams fits this description with whipped cream and a cherry on top.
And didn't Arnold Schwartzenegger used to use steroids? These dangerous, illegal drugs were so common in the body-building world. But he has stopped using them, and counsels young people to not use them, doesn't he? We forgave him and elected him governor.
Can Arnold follow the example of the citizens of California who forgave him his past misbehaviors and elected him governor?
It is not a question of "if" Mr. Williams committed murder. He admits it, himself. If you go to his web page -- http://www.tookie.com/abtookie.html, then click on the "TOOKIE LEARNING TOOL" link, then click on the "SEQUENCING" link, you will see that Tookie admits that he "committed a murder..." Now, we know that he committed four murders.
Anyway, this website was created by Barbara Becnel on Tookie's behalf. Babs is Tookie's mouthpiece. Anything that Babs posts on the Internet is first approved by Tookie.
If it suits Tookie to admit to committing murder, then he says so. So, when his hard bound pamphlets came out, and he wanted an accompanying learning tool, he was willing to admit to committing a murder.
When he is on the verge of having his sentence carried out, then he does not admit to committing a murder.
WHICH IS IT, TOOKIE? Did you commit murder, or did you not commit murder? If you cannot accept responsibility for your crimes, how can you possibly ask for clemency?
For more on the subject of Tookie, the Damamli Publishing Corporation, Barbara Becnel, etc., visit http://www.geocities.com/deep_needle!
Anyway, this website was created by Barbara Becnel on Tookie's behalf. Babs is Tookie's mouthpiece. Anything that Babs posts on the Internet is first approved by Tookie.
If it suits Tookie to admit to committing murder, then he says so. So, when his hard bound pamphlets came out, and he wanted an accompanying learning tool, he was willing to admit to committing a murder.
When he is on the verge of having his sentence carried out, then he does not admit to committing a murder.
WHICH IS IT, TOOKIE? Did you commit murder, or did you not commit murder? If you cannot accept responsibility for your crimes, how can you possibly ask for clemency?
For more on the subject of Tookie, the Damamli Publishing Corporation, Barbara Becnel, etc., visit http://www.geocities.com/deep_needle!
Not about justice. Just punishment, and (Hard to get many to admit) racism. It is barbaric. Shame on the U.S. and any other backwards, regressive, conservative country that uses the death penalty.
Tell us, Brainiac, what is "progress" to let a scumsucker live when it took the life of someone else?
The one murdered didn't even get so much as a set of bars and three squares a day on our dime.
Idiot bastard.
The one murdered didn't even get so much as a set of bars and three squares a day on our dime.
Idiot bastard.
Walking sacks of human garbage---right wing trolling jizheads like you would be a good start. The planet would be a better place to leave without blow hard cowards like you.
You're dismissed, punk.
You're dismissed, punk.
It costs more to put someone to death than to give them life in prison.
Idiot.
Idiot.
Because of bedwetters like you.
A single bullet to the brain and dumping the corpse unceremoniously into a landfill is very cost effective, and more than the asswipe deserves.
The trouble with you morons is that you value the life of "human" feces more than you do the victim. This, of course, would change if someone killed one of your precious totems like Ward Churchill or Jesse Jackson the Extortionist or Noam Chomsky, ain't that right?
A single bullet to the brain and dumping the corpse unceremoniously into a landfill is very cost effective, and more than the asswipe deserves.
The trouble with you morons is that you value the life of "human" feces more than you do the victim. This, of course, would change if someone killed one of your precious totems like Ward Churchill or Jesse Jackson the Extortionist or Noam Chomsky, ain't that right?
While true as it may be that a single bullet to your brain may make the world a better place, I wouldn't want to set this precedent. Murder is murder. No matter how much of a waste of space you are, I wouldn't advocate for that.
"A single bullet to the brain" is the way dictatorial regimes have done it, and if we weren't here holding Bush and his corrupt idiot band of rednecks accountable, they'd probably be doing it in this country, too. Luckily there is some of us who dare to question the status quo, demand acocuntability and transparency and take your leaders to task, using a variety of tactics. "A single bullet to the brain" represents everything that you right wing looneys say you are against. You can't have it both ways, sport.
"A single bullet to the brain" is the way dictatorial regimes have done it, and if we weren't here holding Bush and his corrupt idiot band of rednecks accountable, they'd probably be doing it in this country, too. Luckily there is some of us who dare to question the status quo, demand acocuntability and transparency and take your leaders to task, using a variety of tactics. "A single bullet to the brain" represents everything that you right wing looneys say you are against. You can't have it both ways, sport.
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