Nbadan
12-09-2005, 05:12 AM
Point:
Stanley Tookie Williams – America’s ‘strange fruit’
by Donna J. Warren
Kanye West said, “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people.” Neither does America.
Why do they want Stanley Tookie Williams executed? Is it because he was convicted of murdering four people?
Intrinsically racist White Americans lynch “strange fruit” like Stan Williams in American courts of law all the time. In these kangaroo courts, Black people, innocent or guilty, are convicted and sentenced to death.
Tookie, Black and from the ghetto, was predictably found guilty by a jury that was not “of his peers” – one Latino, one Filipino and 10 whites. This mostly white jury is of the same breed of people who, with local, state and federal governments, instituted Jim Crow laws denying freedom to newly emancipated Blacks.
If American courts ever attempt to be fair, no Black person would ever stand trial in front of 12 non-Black Americans. White serial killers are not sentenced to death. Capital punishment is a Black penalty.
Was Tookie’s jury incensed that the victims were Albert Owens, Yen-I Yang, Tsai-Shai Yang and Ye Chen Lin? Maybe Albert Owens, but America has no problem with the deaths of Asians. If so, America would show remorse over killing 2,000,000 Vietnamese in the Vietnam War and dropping the A-bomb on hundreds of thousands at Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
CNN recently took a poll – unscientific but a poll all the same. Sixty-five percent of the respondents said Tookie must die. Not surprising!
Bloodthirsty America sanctions murder when people of color are involved – look at the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead with no remorse by America. Killing people of color has never been a problem for America. It’s how America became America.
Murdering Tookie and ensuring ghetto Blacks continue to fall into the pit of gang life is America. America cannot let Tookie live, for to do so means America cares about the young people who are driven into the gang life, and we know by empirical evidence that that is not so.
Empirical evidence is everywhere, festering in the form of slums and tenements unfit for human habitation, schools – rat infested and infused with dirty toilets, nonexistent health care. Katrina, where Black babies floated in putrid waters, and thousands of people are still unaccounted for!
America needs the illusion of gang life to maintain the whole shebang of the prison industrial complex – prisons, judges, police, lawyers, counselors etc. It’s big business, and it meets America’s goals to deny democracy and freedom to former slaves, the indigenous and poor whites.
They say Tookie’s not remorseful for the killings. Tookie says he’s innocent. What kind of fool is remorseful for killings he didn’t do?
San Quentin spokesman Vernell Crittendon wants Williams to inform on his old friends. Informing on gang members would “rip my dignity out of my chest,” Tookie says. I agree. Snitching is not only “undignified” but anathema to the truth. Only a liar admits remorse for something he did not do; only unprincipled cowards like Crittendon snitch.
Crittendon says he suspects Williams is orchestrating gangland crimes from his cell. But there’s no proof. The prison industry will say anything to execute a Black man.
Stanley Tookie Williams, nominated repeatedly for the Nobel Peace Prize and the subject of the movie “Redemption,” has an amazing intellect and a voice so strong that he has done what governments fail to do: make a difference in the lives of children left to squalor in the ghettos of America – without healthcare, a decent education or even parents to raise them.
America, vicious, bloodthirsty and racist, keeps the status quo of prisons, punishment and inhumanity on the backs of those she fails the most. Schwarzenegger could easily grant clemency for Tookie. The American courts could easily grant a new trial – one that isn’t judged by 10 whites, one Latino and one Filipino.
In August 2004, a committee of prison officials commended Tookie for his positive steps in the past 10 years. Yet “corrections” made on their website – mysteriously removed one day later – alleged that Tookie “firmly entrenched himself as the leader of the Crips at San Quentin, wielding power as his lieutenants and other minions were dispatched to carry out his objectives.” Daniel Vasquez, warden at San Quentin from 1983 to 1993, said those remarks were “like corrections trying to drum up business for death row.”
We pretend to warn children about the dangers of gang life, but if Tookie is put to death, our pretensions will be exposed for the lies they really are. The emperor is wearing no clothes.
If Tookie dies, we lose a voice who can speak to our children in ways we never could. If Tookie dies, our children lose!
San Francisco Bay (http://www.sfbayview.com/120705/strangefruit120705.shtml)
Counter Point:
Albert Owens ('allegedly' murdered by Tookie Williams) step-mother is for the execution.
Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,
My name is Lora Owens. I am the stepmother of Albert Lewis Owens. My husband, Albert's father, has died so I also speak for him since we discussed this letter frequently over the years. I am writing you concerning clemency for Stanley "Tookie" Williams who murdered Albert in 1979 by shooting him twice in the back. Within seconds, though Albert pleaded for his life, Williams chose to become the judge, jury and executioner of Albert, then laughed as he lay dying. In 1981, Williams was tried, convicted and sentenced to death for the murders he committed in cold blood. Now the many, many years of appeals have also been denied and the facts remain steadfast and the verdict remains firm.
Now that the appeals have been denied, Williams has decided on a new tactic. A female friend has entered his life who happens to be a journalist who wants to write children's books against gangs. Since the defense of brain damage in his appeals did not gain him anything, Williams decided to become an articulate author denouncing gang activity. He doesn't assist the authorities in stopping gang activity by "debriefing" however, but concentrates on teaching primary school age children the "walk and talk" of gang life. This he claims will deter them from joining a gang.
The Nobel Peace Prize nominations, from the first to the last, have been made by activists who see an opportunity to further their personal cause.The first was quoted to have made the nomination to "raise the awareness of the death penalty to a higher degree". Totally nothing to do with Williams and whether he deserved the recognition but for a political agenda.
This has been true of each nomination since.
They have quoted that it doesn't matter what he has done in the past but what he is doing now.
I contend that he is not doing anything now to warrant any type of award and it definitely does matter what he has done in the past. It would matter to anyone whose child is dying in a pool of blood because Williams had the loaded gun and chose to shoot- not in self defense-but shot innocent, unarmed victims simply bcause he could.
We must care what happens to each other whether it affects us personally or not lest we become as callous, insensitive and cold hearted as Williams.
The citizens award from the President of the United States was bought for a few dollars but because he received it...people think the President is behind his clemency and think his "works" are worthwhile as the Williams legal counsel asserts.
The movie "Redemption" is an atrosity. To be redeemed one must accept responsibility for the deeds and not claim to be redeemed to get out of the punishment set forth. Williams has declared his own style of redemption for his own gain.
It's sad that many people have seen the movie and think Williams has changed. That it was mistakes in his youth that put him on death row. Not the murders he was convicted of but the mistakes he eludes to in the movie. I've been berated because the Owens family is shown to throw blood on Barbara Becnel and people are led to believe that has actually happened.
They have forgotten that we are the victims not the criminal.
The years since 1979 have been very difficult for the Owens family. Albert's daughters did not have a good childhood because their father was not there to love and protect them from harm. The health of Albert's father steadily declined and he couldn't get any peace or closure over Albert's murder because justice had not been completed. We did think with Williams being confined to death row would do some good but not when he has his own web page, media directors and movies coming out. It continually kept the pain and anguish fresh and each time something new would appear in the press...it was as though the years had not passed and the pain was the same gutwrenching as in the beginning.I sincerely implore you not to give clemency to Stanley "Tookie" Williams. He is not a model citizen for the blacks to pattern after. He is a murderer and has caused the Owens family anguish for the last 26 years.
His just punishment, his execution, could provide us some closure and peace. Finally, Albert could rest knowing that justice had finally been completed.
With Kind Regards,
Lora Owens
Stanley Tookie Williams – America’s ‘strange fruit’
by Donna J. Warren
Kanye West said, “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people.” Neither does America.
Why do they want Stanley Tookie Williams executed? Is it because he was convicted of murdering four people?
Intrinsically racist White Americans lynch “strange fruit” like Stan Williams in American courts of law all the time. In these kangaroo courts, Black people, innocent or guilty, are convicted and sentenced to death.
Tookie, Black and from the ghetto, was predictably found guilty by a jury that was not “of his peers” – one Latino, one Filipino and 10 whites. This mostly white jury is of the same breed of people who, with local, state and federal governments, instituted Jim Crow laws denying freedom to newly emancipated Blacks.
If American courts ever attempt to be fair, no Black person would ever stand trial in front of 12 non-Black Americans. White serial killers are not sentenced to death. Capital punishment is a Black penalty.
Was Tookie’s jury incensed that the victims were Albert Owens, Yen-I Yang, Tsai-Shai Yang and Ye Chen Lin? Maybe Albert Owens, but America has no problem with the deaths of Asians. If so, America would show remorse over killing 2,000,000 Vietnamese in the Vietnam War and dropping the A-bomb on hundreds of thousands at Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
CNN recently took a poll – unscientific but a poll all the same. Sixty-five percent of the respondents said Tookie must die. Not surprising!
Bloodthirsty America sanctions murder when people of color are involved – look at the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead with no remorse by America. Killing people of color has never been a problem for America. It’s how America became America.
Murdering Tookie and ensuring ghetto Blacks continue to fall into the pit of gang life is America. America cannot let Tookie live, for to do so means America cares about the young people who are driven into the gang life, and we know by empirical evidence that that is not so.
Empirical evidence is everywhere, festering in the form of slums and tenements unfit for human habitation, schools – rat infested and infused with dirty toilets, nonexistent health care. Katrina, where Black babies floated in putrid waters, and thousands of people are still unaccounted for!
America needs the illusion of gang life to maintain the whole shebang of the prison industrial complex – prisons, judges, police, lawyers, counselors etc. It’s big business, and it meets America’s goals to deny democracy and freedom to former slaves, the indigenous and poor whites.
They say Tookie’s not remorseful for the killings. Tookie says he’s innocent. What kind of fool is remorseful for killings he didn’t do?
San Quentin spokesman Vernell Crittendon wants Williams to inform on his old friends. Informing on gang members would “rip my dignity out of my chest,” Tookie says. I agree. Snitching is not only “undignified” but anathema to the truth. Only a liar admits remorse for something he did not do; only unprincipled cowards like Crittendon snitch.
Crittendon says he suspects Williams is orchestrating gangland crimes from his cell. But there’s no proof. The prison industry will say anything to execute a Black man.
Stanley Tookie Williams, nominated repeatedly for the Nobel Peace Prize and the subject of the movie “Redemption,” has an amazing intellect and a voice so strong that he has done what governments fail to do: make a difference in the lives of children left to squalor in the ghettos of America – without healthcare, a decent education or even parents to raise them.
America, vicious, bloodthirsty and racist, keeps the status quo of prisons, punishment and inhumanity on the backs of those she fails the most. Schwarzenegger could easily grant clemency for Tookie. The American courts could easily grant a new trial – one that isn’t judged by 10 whites, one Latino and one Filipino.
In August 2004, a committee of prison officials commended Tookie for his positive steps in the past 10 years. Yet “corrections” made on their website – mysteriously removed one day later – alleged that Tookie “firmly entrenched himself as the leader of the Crips at San Quentin, wielding power as his lieutenants and other minions were dispatched to carry out his objectives.” Daniel Vasquez, warden at San Quentin from 1983 to 1993, said those remarks were “like corrections trying to drum up business for death row.”
We pretend to warn children about the dangers of gang life, but if Tookie is put to death, our pretensions will be exposed for the lies they really are. The emperor is wearing no clothes.
If Tookie dies, we lose a voice who can speak to our children in ways we never could. If Tookie dies, our children lose!
San Francisco Bay (http://www.sfbayview.com/120705/strangefruit120705.shtml)
Counter Point:
Albert Owens ('allegedly' murdered by Tookie Williams) step-mother is for the execution.
Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,
My name is Lora Owens. I am the stepmother of Albert Lewis Owens. My husband, Albert's father, has died so I also speak for him since we discussed this letter frequently over the years. I am writing you concerning clemency for Stanley "Tookie" Williams who murdered Albert in 1979 by shooting him twice in the back. Within seconds, though Albert pleaded for his life, Williams chose to become the judge, jury and executioner of Albert, then laughed as he lay dying. In 1981, Williams was tried, convicted and sentenced to death for the murders he committed in cold blood. Now the many, many years of appeals have also been denied and the facts remain steadfast and the verdict remains firm.
Now that the appeals have been denied, Williams has decided on a new tactic. A female friend has entered his life who happens to be a journalist who wants to write children's books against gangs. Since the defense of brain damage in his appeals did not gain him anything, Williams decided to become an articulate author denouncing gang activity. He doesn't assist the authorities in stopping gang activity by "debriefing" however, but concentrates on teaching primary school age children the "walk and talk" of gang life. This he claims will deter them from joining a gang.
The Nobel Peace Prize nominations, from the first to the last, have been made by activists who see an opportunity to further their personal cause.The first was quoted to have made the nomination to "raise the awareness of the death penalty to a higher degree". Totally nothing to do with Williams and whether he deserved the recognition but for a political agenda.
This has been true of each nomination since.
They have quoted that it doesn't matter what he has done in the past but what he is doing now.
I contend that he is not doing anything now to warrant any type of award and it definitely does matter what he has done in the past. It would matter to anyone whose child is dying in a pool of blood because Williams had the loaded gun and chose to shoot- not in self defense-but shot innocent, unarmed victims simply bcause he could.
We must care what happens to each other whether it affects us personally or not lest we become as callous, insensitive and cold hearted as Williams.
The citizens award from the President of the United States was bought for a few dollars but because he received it...people think the President is behind his clemency and think his "works" are worthwhile as the Williams legal counsel asserts.
The movie "Redemption" is an atrosity. To be redeemed one must accept responsibility for the deeds and not claim to be redeemed to get out of the punishment set forth. Williams has declared his own style of redemption for his own gain.
It's sad that many people have seen the movie and think Williams has changed. That it was mistakes in his youth that put him on death row. Not the murders he was convicted of but the mistakes he eludes to in the movie. I've been berated because the Owens family is shown to throw blood on Barbara Becnel and people are led to believe that has actually happened.
They have forgotten that we are the victims not the criminal.
The years since 1979 have been very difficult for the Owens family. Albert's daughters did not have a good childhood because their father was not there to love and protect them from harm. The health of Albert's father steadily declined and he couldn't get any peace or closure over Albert's murder because justice had not been completed. We did think with Williams being confined to death row would do some good but not when he has his own web page, media directors and movies coming out. It continually kept the pain and anguish fresh and each time something new would appear in the press...it was as though the years had not passed and the pain was the same gutwrenching as in the beginning.I sincerely implore you not to give clemency to Stanley "Tookie" Williams. He is not a model citizen for the blacks to pattern after. He is a murderer and has caused the Owens family anguish for the last 26 years.
His just punishment, his execution, could provide us some closure and peace. Finally, Albert could rest knowing that justice had finally been completed.
With Kind Regards,
Lora Owens