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July 03, 2008

Barry Crimmins' Personal Revenge

Recently the Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment for the rape of children is unconstitutional. Barack Obama immediately said he disagreed with the decision.

Barry Crimmins explains his perspective here:

Does it really matter? The decision has been made and won't soon be reversed and so Obama's views don't particularly matter. Even if the Supremes had ruled the other way, the worst case scenario would only involve the execution of some vicious rapists of children, right? No one else would be affected. No one, that is, except for the raped children and they'd be all for the state-sponsored elimination of these human jackals, wouldn't they?

I can't speak on this issue as a raped child. I can only speak as an adult who was raped as a child and I oppose capital punishment for those who rape children. I was much younger than 12 when I was assaulted so in theory, my rapist could have been sent to the death chamber by Sen. Obama's rules...

Pronouncements of lynch mobsters notwithstanding, I wouldn't have wanted my rapist put out of his own misery and into mine. I started life without blood on my hands and I aim to keep it that way. Had the man who raped me on numerous occasions not died in prison while serving his third term for sexually abusing very young boys, I might have gone to see him. My personal revenge would have been to show him that I did not become what I resisted, that I hadn't grown into a cruel and heartless man.

The rest.

Thank you, Barry Crimmins. (And thank you, internet, for allowing people to communicate with each other about things that matter.)

—Jonathan Schwarz

Posted at July 3, 2008 03:40 PM
Comments

Good stuff Jonathan.

If we can prevent this from descending to the level where ANYONE speculates that agreeing with Crimmins is a likely indicator of either being a rapist or having been raped, well, then there might be something to this 'communication' thing after all.

Posted by: ROYT at July 3, 2008 04:44 PM

My father was murdered when I was a little girl. My sister was only a year old and has no memories of him playing with her. What makes it worse was that I had wanted him out of my life because my parents had a bad marriage.
Executing my father's murderer would not bring my daddy back. To advocates of capital punishment I say this: leave my family's grief out of this.

Posted by: Sajia Kabir at July 3, 2008 04:44 PM

EVERYBODY IN MY LIFE just wanted me to work and as a child and young man these situations never crossed my mind. THAT'S why WE have a Supreme Court, because even, TODAY, I really have NO idea, nor can I as I am NO longer young.

Posted by: Mike Meyer at July 3, 2008 05:08 PM

If one could guarantee life in prison, sure, but look at OUR revolving door, privitized prison system, overburdened and underpaid.If one has DEFINATE proof and a FAIR trial dna and all then, I guess THIS COURT wins again.

Posted by: Mike Meyer at July 3, 2008 05:22 PM

Thank you, Jonathan, for bringing Barry Crimmins' voice to us. I'm pretty sure it was through this blog a few years ago that I first encountered Barry C., and recommend a good look around at his site.

Posted by: Nell at July 3, 2008 05:24 PM

Well, this is pretty much how I've always felt. I don't like killing much at all.

Shocking, I know.

What's always been weird to me is that the logic of the death penalty seems to be, "It's acceptable to kill a few innocent people if it mean we also get to kill a few more guilty ones."

It's even weirder to me, because Americans are very much against the idea that it's acceptable to do nice things for people who don't deserve it if it means we'll be able to do nice things for more people who do deserve it.

We are a violent people.

Posted by: Christopher at July 3, 2008 06:04 PM

Christopher: EXACTLY.

Posted by: Mike Meyer at July 3, 2008 08:57 PM

HAPPY FORTH OF JULY!!! When one looks back on OUR history and thinks "violent?" How could WE be otherwise. THANK GOD FOR OUR CONSTITUTION its the only thing keeping US from devouring each other. THANK GOD FOR THE 2ND AMENDMENT I live in a rough neighborhood.

Posted by: Mike Meyer at July 4, 2008 02:11 PM