>Arnie was sending a message to the correctional officers union, one
>of the strongest in California, with the carnard about George
>Jackson. Jackson was implicated in the deaths of four COs before
>he was killed, and he is still a hated figure among COs throughout
>the state. Had Schwarzenegger granted clemency to a man on record
>as admiring George Jackson, he would have immediately lost the
>support of the COs union in next year's campaign. In other words,
>Arnold was asked choose Williams' life over his own political life -
>such as it is. No contest.
Therein lies the most powerful argument against capital punishment. That all such executions are politically-motivated. It cannot be any other way, because all executions require a decision by the executive government, which is a political body.
To tolerate capital punishment is to tolerate killing people for political reasons. Every time. Which is simply sick.
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas