Troy Davis

I didn't start this blog to use as a soapbox. That was never my intention, not when I first started writing, and not now.

In fact, I don't usually like to address politics or political issues much. First of all, people usually disagree with me, and then they try to argue, or tell me why I'm wrong, and it makes me uncomfortable and upset and rattles me when people yell at me. Second of all, I find it difficult to compose coherent and organized thoughts in type, particularly when I am passionate about something and am upset and rattled.

But occasionally something happens that upsets me so much, that I spend so much time thinking about and focusing on, that I have no choice but to mention it, even in passing.

The state of Georgia killing Troy Davis is one of those things.

I don't usually read comments on political sites, or after political articles. I find that most people who comment are very opinionated, rude, and don't have enough to do. But as I was reading articles even on facebook updates on the Troy Davis case, I couldn't help but run across a few with opinions that were different than my own. Mainly, that Troy Davis was a thug, and that they should just kill him already.

I have never met Troy Davis. I have never spoken to him, or to his family, or to the family of the police officer who was shot and killed. I wasn't on the jury, I don't live in Georgia, and I have not done research on the case.

As to his guilt, I have no way of knowing if he was guilty or not. Apparently he was mixed up in some criminal activity. He had shot someone before. But it seemed there was a lack of physical evidence, witnesses changed their minds and took back their words. Some people think this is still enough to find him guilty, and put him to death. I disagree. Put him in jail for life, and there is always a chance for a correction if a mistake was made. Kill him, and mistakes are irreversible.

I can't say too much on the subject, because it turns out I am against the death penalty. I only recently discovered this. It means that I can't openly argue with people on the subject of an individual on death row. I am now one of "those people" and if I can't even consider killing a person by execution then I obviously am not worth the time to discuss the subject with. I'll say no no matter what.

What stood out for me after the execution was a quote from the Mother of the off-duty policeman who was shot. This woman has suffered a huge loss and a lot of pain. I am a mother, and I can only imagine how devastated she was when she lost her son. I hope I never ever have to go through anything remotely like what she went through. I understand her anger, and her need to make things right, to blame someone. I don't have the exact quote, but she said she was still numb. She expected the feeling of relief and resolution to kick in after a couple of days.

But I wonder if it will.

People who support the death penalty say "an eye for an eye." But this only works when the eye represents a thing. You take my cookie, you give a cookie. You wreck my car, you owe me a car. You kill my son, my son is gone. There is no replacing my son. I can kill your son, I can even kill you, but my son is gone and nothing will bring him back. Take an eye for an eye, and we will both be angry and hurt. And now we are both also blind.

So that's it. I'm stepping off my soapbox now. I won't say anything else about it. Tomorrow, we will return to your regularly scheduled programming.