[lbo-talk] the Bush style of clemency: love your gun

[John Thornton]

Bill Bartlett wrote:
> I have to say that the discussion of this issue of presidential 
> pardons is completely missing the point.
>
> Which is that pardons undermine the whole idea of the rule of law. Its 
> quite feudal really to keep up the tradition of arbitrarily issuing 
> pardons to a few people. For political reasons.
>
> The justification for pardons to continue it seems is this custom of 
> denying civil and political rights to convicted criminals for the rest 
> of their lives. Itself one of the most backward and repulsive social 
> custom imaginable.
>
> But do i hear anyone talking about these crucial issues? You don't 
> even seem aware that there is any problem, instead everyone proceeds 
> to waffle on about the right to bear arms. But obviously there is no 
> such right, in fact there are no civil rights at all in the US. The 
> "right" to bear arms, even the very "right" to vote, is actually a 
> privilege that can be arbitrarily denied  to some citizens, or just as 
> arbitrarily restored.
>
> I would have to say that in this context its hardly any wonder that 
> people would insist on a right to bear arms. The system of government 
> being arbitrary its no wonder people are a tad insecure.
>
> Bill Bartlett
> Bracknell Tas

Really?
Denying individuals civil and political rights after they have served 
their sentences is backward and repulsive?
Thanks for that insight. I was certainly unaware of this crucial issue 
and it probably never would have occurred to me.
I always just figured ex-cons deserved to be fucked over forever!

John Thornton