She dropped a note to the editor of the magazine making this point:
Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to try the accused 9/11 perpetrators in a civilian court near Ground Zero has ignited a national debate over whether the accused Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his companions should face a military or civilian court. Other concerns include the safety of the city, the opportunity for propaganda and the possibility of acquittal, based on waterboarding the men experienced in Guantanamo.Any thoughts?
One matter not being debated is Mr. Holder's determination to urge the prosecution to seek the death penalty for these mass murderers.
If the destruction perpetrated here had occurred in London, Paris, Rome or any other European city, the death penalty would not be debated either. It is not allowed in nations that form the European Union.
If the death penalty were forbidden here, life without parole would at very least deprive these mass murderers of presenting themselves as martyrs and us as their killers.
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While I feel that the eye for an eye part of the Bible has a point in that cowardly murderers of this nature might deserve the death penalty, I object to giving them the world stage and martyrdom that they want. They do not deserve that dignity. In fact, if we could reduce the publicity value of the trial as much as possible that would be even better. When they murdered our citizens, they could no longer make plans and get what they wanted from life. They should be repaid the same way. What they want, they don't get including martyrdom. That is the way I feel, and it does not soil our hands with their blood.
I am opposed to the death penalty for KSM, life in prison would be a much better alternative for a variety of reasons. He should also be imprisoned humanely under the same sort of conditions we hold other dangerous criminals. All people should be entitled to the right to a fair trial. In both real and imagined senses, terrorists like KSM are responding to perceived defects in how our country conducts itself abroad. Abiding by the principles that we proclaim in our Constitution would improve our security as a nation. Waterboarding this guy 187 times was immoral and absolutely builds resolve in our enemies.
The trial will be interesting I think becuase it will actually be two trials. KSM's trial will likely be rather mundane, like Zacarius Moussaoui (who got a civil trial on US soil I might add). At the same time though, Dick Cheney and his administration will be on trial as well. This is what all the fuss is really about, bringing shameful conduct into the light of day.
As to KSM's punishment, remember that Moussaoui received a life sentence. Also, as a practical matter, understand the the EU and a host of other states refuse to provide any intelligence or evidence about these terrorists if used to seek the death penalty. Seeking this punishment would gravely endanger our country's security interests. So in the end, the death penalty fails on both practical and moral grounds. Catholics are also called to oppose the death penalty at the present time.
This is all of a piece with the whole "showtrial" aspect of what Obama and Holder are doing with this fake trial (see Krauthammer to get the gist of how phony it is). http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZjAxZWY3OWMyY2ZkMmE5NzI3ZGFmYmI2NWNjZDQ3ZDc=
Sr. Camille's concern is authentic, I am sure, but even she must know that the chances of KSM or any of these terror suspects being put to death in NY is NIL. The death penalty is "legal" in NY, but unused, and the state legislature will make it illegal if it must.
So, I am not going to cast aspersions on Sr. Camille's sincerity; I am sure it is real. But I suggest it has more to do with her own political commitment to wiping out the death penalty in the US (which btw, is ok with me), than with any genuine concerns she has about these men being put to death.
Now that they are defendants they're presumed innocent, right? They may not even be convicted.
That, I mind about. I also mind about Holder and Obama playing games with the whole notion that there is a "trial" where the suspect "no matter what" will never be free again. If that doesn't chill civil libertarians, I don't know what will.
Ah yes! More comments without a concern in the world for the murder of prison guards (and other inmates) by anti-cap punishment crusader's beloved murderers. I guess the cost in human life to keep murderer's in jail for life is beneath their dignity to even think about. (Or is it they feel supremely guilty that they are expecting others to die to make their consciences feel so superior.
Hi John...
You've mentioned in a couple of posts the tragedy of inmates killing prison guards -- suggesting that this problem would be alleviated if the death penalty were strictly enforced.
I haven't been able to find any statistics on the numbers of inmates who have killed prison guards. Can you give me some guidance? I'd also be curious to know how many of those inmates who killed guards (or other inmates) were imprisoned for capital crimes.
Thanks and God bless,
Greg.
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