The
People's Coalition For Justice
&
Humanity
***
By Carol Williams
While
supporters had a just cause, claiming redemption as a reason to
overturn the death penalty, there were several reasons why Tookie
Williams had to die.
First of all he was convicted by a "court of law' and whenever this happens it is all but impossible, even when there is a preponderance of evidence pointing to innocence to get the system to admit that it is wrong. The murder of innocent citizens by the state is so common that it can be statistically documented, yet the claws of so called US justice continually refuses to readily consider the possibility of innocence or redemption.
One Nation Under God should have the humanity to consider a productive, positive life that impacts on thousands over death and punishment.
While nominations for Nobel Prizes are impressive, despite the claim, the prison system is not designed to rehabilitate. It is there to avenge, to punish people the majority of whom fell behind the walls due to socio-economic circumstances beyond their control. The shaping of the psyche of black boys and girls and all those low-income people who find themselves incarcerated, is so predetermined that the social scientists use projection analysis in order to determine how many prisons to build in the future.
Surely, if the system can predict the doom of a certain group of its citizens it can if it spend the same time, money and effort prevent the disaster by focusing on the causes and working to eliminate them. These causes being things like poverty, mis-education or the lack of employment opportunities for a growing segment of our society.
Tookie Williams had to die, because he was essential in organizing one of the most feared street gangs in the history of the country, the Crips. The sheer ability to pull together an army of young, strong, fearless black street warriors is a definite threat to the system. It must also be considered that the system is threatened by a man like Tookie Williams, because he was able to destroy the myth that people like him are hopeless. He gave hope to others of similar fate and this does not support the systems strategy or plan.
Williams had the ability to change the minds and psyches of millions of young urban Americans, thus changing the "ghetto" from a dirty, violent cesspool as well as the direction and role ascribed by the power structure for "certain people." What would the system do with all of the prisons if they did not have bodies to fill them with?
While Tookie Williams may have committed a heinous crime (he maintained his innocence until his death) was killing him in the best interest of the people? I don't think so.
Tookie Williams had to die and he was killed for very specific reasons none of which had to do with the victims involved in the case.
Fortunately, we were able to rescue Mumia Abu-Jamal from the grips of the system modern day lynching. But, ironically if we are to defeat this murder machine the emphasis must be taken off of individuals and personalities and put it totally on abolishing the Death Penalty itself.
Carol Williams is the President/Founder People's Coalition For Justice And Humanity, Grounds 4 Discussion (a grassroots community radio talk show), award winning writer, journalist and solutionary and the founder and owner of the World Wide Community Radio Station (WWCR). She does speaking engagements in churches, prisons, and for certain events and organizations.
You can contact her at chaweh2@yahoo.com. Or visit the PCJH at www.justiceandhumanity.com You can also log on to the Afro Radio Network(www.afroradionetwork.com) every Saturday from 6-7 p.m. EST to find the radio show and more of Williams' work.
To find the works of Stanley "Tookie Williams" log on to his personal website at www.tookie.com
First of all he was convicted by a "court of law' and whenever this happens it is all but impossible, even when there is a preponderance of evidence pointing to innocence to get the system to admit that it is wrong. The murder of innocent citizens by the state is so common that it can be statistically documented, yet the claws of so called US justice continually refuses to readily consider the possibility of innocence or redemption.
One Nation Under God should have the humanity to consider a productive, positive life that impacts on thousands over death and punishment.
While nominations for Nobel Prizes are impressive, despite the claim, the prison system is not designed to rehabilitate. It is there to avenge, to punish people the majority of whom fell behind the walls due to socio-economic circumstances beyond their control. The shaping of the psyche of black boys and girls and all those low-income people who find themselves incarcerated, is so predetermined that the social scientists use projection analysis in order to determine how many prisons to build in the future.
Surely, if the system can predict the doom of a certain group of its citizens it can if it spend the same time, money and effort prevent the disaster by focusing on the causes and working to eliminate them. These causes being things like poverty, mis-education or the lack of employment opportunities for a growing segment of our society.
Tookie Williams had to die, because he was essential in organizing one of the most feared street gangs in the history of the country, the Crips. The sheer ability to pull together an army of young, strong, fearless black street warriors is a definite threat to the system. It must also be considered that the system is threatened by a man like Tookie Williams, because he was able to destroy the myth that people like him are hopeless. He gave hope to others of similar fate and this does not support the systems strategy or plan.
Williams had the ability to change the minds and psyches of millions of young urban Americans, thus changing the "ghetto" from a dirty, violent cesspool as well as the direction and role ascribed by the power structure for "certain people." What would the system do with all of the prisons if they did not have bodies to fill them with?
While Tookie Williams may have committed a heinous crime (he maintained his innocence until his death) was killing him in the best interest of the people? I don't think so.
Tookie Williams had to die and he was killed for very specific reasons none of which had to do with the victims involved in the case.
Fortunately, we were able to rescue Mumia Abu-Jamal from the grips of the system modern day lynching. But, ironically if we are to defeat this murder machine the emphasis must be taken off of individuals and personalities and put it totally on abolishing the Death Penalty itself.
Carol Williams is the President/Founder People's Coalition For Justice And Humanity, Grounds 4 Discussion (a grassroots community radio talk show), award winning writer, journalist and solutionary and the founder and owner of the World Wide Community Radio Station (WWCR). She does speaking engagements in churches, prisons, and for certain events and organizations.
You can contact her at chaweh2@yahoo.com. Or visit the PCJH at www.justiceandhumanity.com You can also log on to the Afro Radio Network(www.afroradionetwork.com) every Saturday from 6-7 p.m. EST to find the radio show and more of Williams' work.
To find the works of Stanley "Tookie Williams" log on to his personal website at www.tookie.com