I can't believe it has been a year now of tweeting #TroyDavis or #RIPTroyDavis alongside others who did this too.
When I went to sleep a year ago I knew there was a stay of execution and I assumed that this was permanent. I assumed that Obama's post of President was worthy of being appealed to by signing petitions. I had no idea of the intransigence and stubborn nature of the system.
It was a school day the next day so I needed to sleep and then get up early to get my son off to school.
I can't remember finding out the news. It would have been online. I can remember the feeling that I had been slapped right in the face, personally. I also knew that many, many people had been violently ignored too.
After a while the phrase 'stiff-necked' came to me, it is from the Bible somewhere. All these old words and phrases have a meaning which only reveals itself when the circumstances fit exactly what it means. So the phrase comes alive and carries a whole situation in one little package.
I don't look forward to reading what other thoughts people have on this. I will read a lot anyway, but it is hard reading, even when there is good news about repealing the death penalty. It seems to go so slowly, State by State.
If you go back to Sept 2011 on this blog there are several posts to read.
Showing posts with label Death penalty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Death penalty. Show all posts
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Friday, 11 May 2012
Forgive the gruesome blogs I follow
Since finding Al Jezeera last year and becoming gripped by the important events in the Arab Spring I have added relevant blogs to my sidebar. This is nothing to do with home education, but this blog is for me rather than for the home ed community.
There are some very graphic photos only a few clicks away. I am getting used to a level of detail I would not have expected before.
The same warning goes for the anti-death penalty blogs, not for photos, but for eye-witness accounts. The reality is so shocking and real-time.
A little of what I read about gets into my conversations during our home educating life, not much though. One comment goes a very long way, judging from my memories of one-off statements by my parents years ago. I am 31 and 33 years older than T and H, so my interior life is utterly different from theirs. I am experiencing the generation gap from this position as a parent.
However, I could not home educate without my own varied interests and passions. They are crucial, even though they have only sprung up as the children have come to give me time alone in which to pursue them. It has not been the other way round in our case. I could not have imagined the amount of brain space I have to attend to other matters. Perhaps home educating has been the creator of this space and time?
There are some very graphic photos only a few clicks away. I am getting used to a level of detail I would not have expected before.
The same warning goes for the anti-death penalty blogs, not for photos, but for eye-witness accounts. The reality is so shocking and real-time.
A little of what I read about gets into my conversations during our home educating life, not much though. One comment goes a very long way, judging from my memories of one-off statements by my parents years ago. I am 31 and 33 years older than T and H, so my interior life is utterly different from theirs. I am experiencing the generation gap from this position as a parent.
However, I could not home educate without my own varied interests and passions. They are crucial, even though they have only sprung up as the children have come to give me time alone in which to pursue them. It has not been the other way round in our case. I could not have imagined the amount of brain space I have to attend to other matters. Perhaps home educating has been the creator of this space and time?
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Phone call to the US
I phoned the US for the first time in my life last Thursday. I called the office of Governor Fallin of Oklahoma, to ask for a stay of execution and for DNA testing for Timothy Stemple.
The good thing was that the office was taking calls, I heard plenty of ringing and receiving of calls in the background, so it wasn't just one line being answered.
The bad thing was that it was of no use to this particular prisoner or his family. At least I know I have acted along with many others campaigning to abolish the death penalty in the USA, state by state.
In our part of the world Belarus is the only one which still uses the death penalty. I do not think it is right for judges to be expected to issue such penalties and for prison staff to be expected to carry them out.
The good thing was that the office was taking calls, I heard plenty of ringing and receiving of calls in the background, so it wasn't just one line being answered.
The bad thing was that it was of no use to this particular prisoner or his family. At least I know I have acted along with many others campaigning to abolish the death penalty in the USA, state by state.
In our part of the world Belarus is the only one which still uses the death penalty. I do not think it is right for judges to be expected to issue such penalties and for prison staff to be expected to carry them out.
Friday, 2 December 2011
Deep sleep
For some reason I was washed out, exhausted, tired beyond tired, just like when I was pregnant. I lay right down on the sofa and still felt as if I needed to lie down. The cat who visits us helped me to drop off to sleep, her head and arms resting on my shoulder.
Oh my, I now see from Twitter that Troy Davis' sister Martina died yesterday. I have added a blog to my list written by a photographer who was in Georgia with her the night of 21st September this year. It is called Scott Langley Photography. Please see his tribute to Martina.
I have also found these wonderful words of strength said by Martina after Troy Davis died by execution:
"I want people to know that we didn't fail. As long as we keep hammering away at this thing, as long as we refuse to give up, we haven't failed. We'll be doing what Troy would have wanted us to do."
Oh my, I now see from Twitter that Troy Davis' sister Martina died yesterday. I have added a blog to my list written by a photographer who was in Georgia with her the night of 21st September this year. It is called Scott Langley Photography. Please see his tribute to Martina.
I have also found these wonderful words of strength said by Martina after Troy Davis died by execution:
"I want people to know that we didn't fail. As long as we keep hammering away at this thing, as long as we refuse to give up, we haven't failed. We'll be doing what Troy would have wanted us to do."
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Two weeks ago tonight
Watch this beautiful tribute to Troy Davis:
http://t.co/shEM5jkp
I really don't know what to write on here any more. I feel my efforts are more powerful on Twitter. I aim to spend about an hour each day retweeting important information relating to the abolition of the death penalty. In order to be able to do this long term I make sure it is in the early evening if possible, so I get my sleep and don't burn out.
There is too much to say and my mind is a jumble. There are some new blogs on my side bar now though. Have a look at them.
Ed Pilkington of the Guardian has been covering this. The FT seems to have looked the other way for two weeks' solid now. Why is that?
http://t.co/shEM5jkp
I really don't know what to write on here any more. I feel my efforts are more powerful on Twitter. I aim to spend about an hour each day retweeting important information relating to the abolition of the death penalty. In order to be able to do this long term I make sure it is in the early evening if possible, so I get my sleep and don't burn out.
There is too much to say and my mind is a jumble. There are some new blogs on my side bar now though. Have a look at them.
Ed Pilkington of the Guardian has been covering this. The FT seems to have looked the other way for two weeks' solid now. Why is that?
Friday, 23 September 2011
Even ex-prison wardens and directors spoke up for Troy Davis
Here is the letter sent on behalf of Troy Davis by 6 ex-wardens of US prisons:
Home
Corrections Officials Sign-On for Troy Davis
Date of Publication: 09/21/2011
Media Contact: Ron McAndrew, 352-342-1450 (EST) and Jeanne Woodford, 415-243-0143 (PST)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA-This morning, six retired corrections officials, including Dr. Allen Ault, retired Director of the Georgia Department of Corrections and former Warden of the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison where he oversaw executions for the state, have sent the following letter to Georgia Corrections Officials and Governor Nathan Deal asking them to urge the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles to reconsider the decision they made on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 to deny Troy Davis Clemency despite concerns about his guilt. Davis is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday, September 21 at 7:00pm at Georgia Diagnostics & Classifications Prison in Jackson, Georgia.
Statement:
We write to you as former wardens and corrections officials who have had direct involvement in executions. Like few others in this country, we understand that you have a job to do in carrying out the lawful orders of the judiciary. We also understand, from our own personal experiences, the awful lifelong repercussions that come from participating in the execution of prisoners. While most of the prisoners whose executions we participated in accepted responsibility for the crimes for which they were punished, some of us have also executed prisoners who maintained their innocence until the end. It is those cases that are most haunting to an executioner.
We write to you today with the overwhelming concern that an innocent person could be executed in Georgia tonight. We know the legal process has exhausted itself in the case of Troy Anthony Davis, and yet, doubt about his guilt remains. This very fact will have an irreversible and damaging impact on your staff. Many people of significant standing share these concerns, including, notably, William Sessions, Director of the FBI under President Ronald Reagan.
Living with the nightmares is something that we know from experience. No one has the right to ask a public servant to take on a lifelong sentence of nagging doubt, and for some of us, shame and guilt. Should our justice system be causing so much harm to so many people when there is an alternative?
We urge you to ask the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles to reconsider their decision. Should that fail, we urge you to unburden yourselves and your staff from the pain of participating in such a questionable execution to the extent possible by allowing any personnel so inclined to opt-out of activities related to the execution of Troy Anthony Davis. Further, we urge you to provide appropriate counseling to personnel who do choose to perform their job functions related to the execution. If we may be of assistance to you moving forward, please do not hesitate to call upon any of us.
Respectfully and collegially,
Allen Ault – Retired Warden, Georgia Diagnostic & Classifications Prison
Terry Collins – Retired Director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Ron McAndrew – Retired Warden, Florida State Prison
Dennis O’Neill - Retired Warden, Florida State Prison
Reginald Wilkinson – Retired Director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Jeanne Woodford – Retired Warden, San Quentin State Prison
The actual URL is:
http://www.schr.org/action/resources/corrections_officials_sign_on_for_troy_davis
Home
Corrections Officials Sign-On for Troy Davis
Date of Publication: 09/21/2011
Media Contact: Ron McAndrew, 352-342-1450 (EST) and Jeanne Woodford, 415-243-0143 (PST)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA-This morning, six retired corrections officials, including Dr. Allen Ault, retired Director of the Georgia Department of Corrections and former Warden of the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison where he oversaw executions for the state, have sent the following letter to Georgia Corrections Officials and Governor Nathan Deal asking them to urge the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles to reconsider the decision they made on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 to deny Troy Davis Clemency despite concerns about his guilt. Davis is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday, September 21 at 7:00pm at Georgia Diagnostics & Classifications Prison in Jackson, Georgia.
Statement:
We write to you as former wardens and corrections officials who have had direct involvement in executions. Like few others in this country, we understand that you have a job to do in carrying out the lawful orders of the judiciary. We also understand, from our own personal experiences, the awful lifelong repercussions that come from participating in the execution of prisoners. While most of the prisoners whose executions we participated in accepted responsibility for the crimes for which they were punished, some of us have also executed prisoners who maintained their innocence until the end. It is those cases that are most haunting to an executioner.
We write to you today with the overwhelming concern that an innocent person could be executed in Georgia tonight. We know the legal process has exhausted itself in the case of Troy Anthony Davis, and yet, doubt about his guilt remains. This very fact will have an irreversible and damaging impact on your staff. Many people of significant standing share these concerns, including, notably, William Sessions, Director of the FBI under President Ronald Reagan.
Living with the nightmares is something that we know from experience. No one has the right to ask a public servant to take on a lifelong sentence of nagging doubt, and for some of us, shame and guilt. Should our justice system be causing so much harm to so many people when there is an alternative?
We urge you to ask the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles to reconsider their decision. Should that fail, we urge you to unburden yourselves and your staff from the pain of participating in such a questionable execution to the extent possible by allowing any personnel so inclined to opt-out of activities related to the execution of Troy Anthony Davis. Further, we urge you to provide appropriate counseling to personnel who do choose to perform their job functions related to the execution. If we may be of assistance to you moving forward, please do not hesitate to call upon any of us.
Respectfully and collegially,
Allen Ault – Retired Warden, Georgia Diagnostic & Classifications Prison
Terry Collins – Retired Director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Ron McAndrew – Retired Warden, Florida State Prison
Dennis O’Neill - Retired Warden, Florida State Prison
Reginald Wilkinson – Retired Director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Jeanne Woodford – Retired Warden, San Quentin State Prison
The actual URL is:
http://www.schr.org/action/resources/corrections_officials_sign_on_for_troy_davis
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Letter written by Troy Davis
“To All” – A message from Troy Anthony Davis
by Soa Watch on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 at 15:17
To All:
I want to thank all of you for your efforts and dedication to Human Rights and Human Kindness, in the past year I have experienced such emotion, joy, sadness and never ending faith. It is because of all of you that I am alive today, as I look at my sister Martina I am marveled by the love she has for me and of course I worry about her and her health, but as she tells me she is the eldest and she will not back down from this fight to save my life and prove to the world that I am innocent of this terrible crime.
As I look at my mail from across the globe, from places I have never ever dreamed I would know about and people speaking languages and expressing cultures and religions I could only hope to one day see first hand. I am humbled by the emotion that fills my heart with overwhelming, overflowing Joy. I can’t even explain the insurgence of emotion I feel when I try to express the strength I draw from you all, it compounds my faith and it shows me yet again that this is not a case about the death penalty, this is not a case about Troy Davis, this is a case about Justice and the Human Spirit to see Justice prevail.
I cannot answer all of your letters but I do read them all, I cannot see you all but I can imagine your faces, I cannot hear you speak but your letters take me to the far reaches of the world, I cannot touch you physically but I feel your warmth everyday I exist.
So Thank you and remember I am in a place where execution can only destroy your physical form but because of my faith in God, my family and all of you I have been spiritually free for some time and no matter what happens in the days, weeks to come, this Movement to end the death penalty, to seek true justice, to expose a system that fails to protect the innocent must be accelerated. There are so many more Troy Davis’. This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe. We need to dismantle this Unjust system city by city, state by state and country by country.
I can’t wait to Stand with you, no matter if that is in physical or spiritual form, I will one day be announcing,
“I AM TROY DAVIS, and I AM FREE!”
Never Stop Fighting for Justice and We will Win!
Like · Share
6,497 people like this.
(Copied from a Facebook notes page)
by Soa Watch on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 at 15:17
To All:
I want to thank all of you for your efforts and dedication to Human Rights and Human Kindness, in the past year I have experienced such emotion, joy, sadness and never ending faith. It is because of all of you that I am alive today, as I look at my sister Martina I am marveled by the love she has for me and of course I worry about her and her health, but as she tells me she is the eldest and she will not back down from this fight to save my life and prove to the world that I am innocent of this terrible crime.
As I look at my mail from across the globe, from places I have never ever dreamed I would know about and people speaking languages and expressing cultures and religions I could only hope to one day see first hand. I am humbled by the emotion that fills my heart with overwhelming, overflowing Joy. I can’t even explain the insurgence of emotion I feel when I try to express the strength I draw from you all, it compounds my faith and it shows me yet again that this is not a case about the death penalty, this is not a case about Troy Davis, this is a case about Justice and the Human Spirit to see Justice prevail.
I cannot answer all of your letters but I do read them all, I cannot see you all but I can imagine your faces, I cannot hear you speak but your letters take me to the far reaches of the world, I cannot touch you physically but I feel your warmth everyday I exist.
So Thank you and remember I am in a place where execution can only destroy your physical form but because of my faith in God, my family and all of you I have been spiritually free for some time and no matter what happens in the days, weeks to come, this Movement to end the death penalty, to seek true justice, to expose a system that fails to protect the innocent must be accelerated. There are so many more Troy Davis’. This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe. We need to dismantle this Unjust system city by city, state by state and country by country.
I can’t wait to Stand with you, no matter if that is in physical or spiritual form, I will one day be announcing,
“I AM TROY DAVIS, and I AM FREE!”
Never Stop Fighting for Justice and We will Win!
Like · Share
6,497 people like this.
(Copied from a Facebook notes page)
Last Words
I'm sure no one reading this will be surprised that the last words I am quoting come from Troy Davis, spoken yesterday evening.
Final words
Davis' final words are reported as follows:
“ I'd like to address the MacPhail family. Let you know, despite the situation you are in, I'm not the one who personally killed your son, your father, your brother. I am innocent. The incident that happened that night is not my fault. I did not have a gun. All I can ask ... is that you look deeper into this case so that you really can finally see the truth. I ask my family and friends to continue to fight this fight. For those about to take my life, God have mercy on your souls. And may God bless your souls.[124] ”
From Wikipedia
I am shocked that Anmesty petitions, even a message from the Pope, plus all the other requests were not enough to change the minds of those responsible. I wonder who the legal system in Georgia is accountable to. Maybe to the voters in Georgia? Who employs them and pays their wages? Authority comes from somewhere and is paid for somehow.
Final words
Davis' final words are reported as follows:
“ I'd like to address the MacPhail family. Let you know, despite the situation you are in, I'm not the one who personally killed your son, your father, your brother. I am innocent. The incident that happened that night is not my fault. I did not have a gun. All I can ask ... is that you look deeper into this case so that you really can finally see the truth. I ask my family and friends to continue to fight this fight. For those about to take my life, God have mercy on your souls. And may God bless your souls.[124] ”
From Wikipedia
I am shocked that Anmesty petitions, even a message from the Pope, plus all the other requests were not enough to change the minds of those responsible. I wonder who the legal system in Georgia is accountable to. Maybe to the voters in Georgia? Who employs them and pays their wages? Authority comes from somewhere and is paid for somehow.
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