Five

Well, once again, it's time to do something that I hope to never do again. Something that I wish I never had to do in the first place. This isn't the first time and sadly it won't be the last. For me it will make the fifth time. Number Five.

At 9pm tonight the Commonwealth of Virginia will put James Reid to death.

You can read about Mr. Reid's case here:
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=133

GO read it.

Now tell me how this is the "right thing" to do. Tell me how the bastard needs to be punished for his crimes - even though he is unable to remember them. Tell me how we should rid our "civilized society" of people like James, whose counsel fell asleep during the proceedings. Tell me how he deserves to die so we should ignore the cruel and unusual punishment that he will have to go through tonight as they have to cut into his arms just to find a vein that they can use to pump the poison to his body.

Now tell me what this solves.

Tonight the Commonwealth of Virginia will be guilty of the same crime (albeit in a much different way) that they are ending James Reid's life for, but it's not just the Commonwealth's guilt. The guilt belongs to all Virginians. James Reid's life is on all our hands. And yours too Governor Mark Warner, especially yours. You are the only one who could have made Mr. Reid's appeals work for him. You are the only one, at this point, who can see justice be done. The only one who can see the system really work.

I've watched this too many times. Once would have been too often. This is five times to often - so far.

Five