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New York, 2:29 AM
Mon Dec 7
13 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/30/09
It still amazes me that their answer to an election that didn't go their boss' way is to give the Repug frontrunner a weekly show to say whatever he wants in anticipation of launching his campaign. It's so plodding and obvious, there should be equal-time rules applied to their schedule.
11/30/09
This is why there aren't: [www.museum.tv]
11/30/09
As an unabashed lefty, even I don't want the news to be skewed to make me feel better; I just want the goddam truth, and I'll decide what to think about it. The fact that Fox has been able to successfully sell themeselves as doing just that while doing just the opposite makes me wanna scream. It's hard not to want some kind of higher authority to sweep in and declare that they can't call themselves a news channel anymore in their current form, but again, that's tough to do in this country.
11/30/09
It's all Florida's fault (again):
Court Ruling: Fox News Has a First Amendment Right to Lie: [www.propeller.com]
11/30/09
I remember when Clinton flew to Arkansas in the middle of his first Presidential campaign to affirm Ricky Ray Rector's execution just to show that he wasn't some softie liberal who cared about prisoner's rights more than he did victims. I know people who are still upset with Clinton to this day over that stunt. It's nice to know that Huckabee at least understood justice system unfortunately does not work the same for everyone and he was willing to take the time to evaluate each person on a case by case basis. Nice to know he wasn't just a "lock'em up and throw away the key" guy.
11/30/09
11/30/09
[www.newyorker.com]
Sadly, the criminal justice system seems to be more criminal than just.
11/30/09
Sadly, this story received very little mainstream press. I'm sure the Huckabee/Clemmons' situation will raise much more of a stink, though I think a government cover-up of the execution of an innocent man should be at least as important.
11/30/09
I read that New Yorker story when it first came out with tears streaming down my face. Not only did they execute an innocent man, they used fabricated evidence to convince his ex-wife (with whom he was on very amicable terms and who steadfastly believed in his innocence) that he murdered their two little kids and she turned against him in his darkest hour. All ten circles of Hell are not enough for the people who did that.
11/30/09
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11/30/09
But this story in the article you linked to is a tragedy. The circumstances of the man's conviction are bad enough, but that the governor would blatantly obstruct an investigation into it the way that he did is abhorrent. And it got very little press in Texas. Perry knows his constituency. The last thing most of them want to hear is that their ideas of cowboy justice could ever be wrong. Makes me ill that we have had this hair model as our governor for as long as we have.
11/30/09
The execution of innocent people is horrific, but here's the thing directly related to the topic of this post that makes the 'cowboys' difficult to reason with (aside from the fact that they are insane): there's a knee-jerk reaction that people have to the idea of a violent criminal being freed to kill (perhaps many) more people; as in "that guy could've killed me or my family." When an innocent person is sent to die, it's 'just one person.'
"With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it's still a beautiful world." - Max Ehrmann
I've enjoyed our discourse - thanks!
11/30/09
I highly recommend this blog: [crooksandliars.com]
11/30/09
God, there is so much about the justice system I cannot begin to understand.
11/30/09
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11/30/09
Phuck. The. What.
You know, I was prepared to be rational and consider the fact that people make decisions with the best information they have at the time (that one doesn't know everything). But, if commuting this person's sentence is the best decision one can make with the data above - phuck him. My infant son has greater reasoning skills than Hukabee in this instance.
11/29/09
Ah. Yes. [www.huffingtonpost.com]
11/29/09
It's just a horrific story all around: the idea that Huckabee acknowledging the system's flaws and society's barrel-bottom effects allowed him to actually think kindly about this man's plight, only for him to be turned out on the world with a criminal vengeance. And those dead policemen and their families. The increasing commonness of unprovoked brutality makes my skin crawl.
11/30/09
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11/30/09
him. Though I am sure he will feel some guilt, I don't necessarily blame him for this. However, the notion that somehow people repent and find Jesus and that is one criteria in justifying their release (he's actually stated that several times on his Fox show) make my willies jingle. I would just prefer they leave Jesus out of the political and judicial system. He's got enough problems to solve.
11/29/09
That said...hingsight is 20/20, but I understand why Huckabee granted this kid clemency back then. His crimes weren't violent and he was a 17 year-old weakling when he committed them, so an almost life-sentence seemed too harsh.
11/29/09
11/29/09
Because I guarantee you if a minister or chaplain fronted for this guy, it swayed the Huckster towards clemency.
11/30/09
11/08/09
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11/07/09
But I have 400 more Twitter Followers.
I win, right? Right? #kimberlydenisemunley
11/07/09
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