A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Martin Grossman - Everyone Is Right

Martin Grossman was a thug even before he committed a vicious murder that he tried to cover up. He was not completely evil, had expressed remorse and was a better person 25 years later. Most of those who called for his death sentence to be changed to life imprisonment did so only because he was Jewish, and have no qualms about other murderers being executed. The public campaign on Grossman's behalf had no chance of success at convincing Charlie Crist to stay execution. But no efforts would have had any success, inasmuch as all of Grossman's legal options had already been exhausted.

All of these points are right.

I support the death penalty in principle, but on a limited basis. I think some people awaiting execution deserve life imprisonment. Some - almost all of whom are African American - deserve immediate release along with an apology and monetary damages that will never adequately compensate them, because they are in fact innocent.

I did not ask anyone to commute Grossman's death sentence, but have no problem at all with those who did. Indeed, for the most part their advocacy - even if mistaken - is far better than apathy.

A Jewish person who calls for a Jewish death row inmate to be spared execution is not a phony or a hypocrite. Nor were religious Christians who called for Karla Faye Tucker to be spared execution phonies or hypocrites. Having empathy for a particular individual with whom one has something in common is not hypocritical. Everyone who advocated for Grossman or for Tucker had every right to do so. The merits of their advocacy can be disputed and debated, but to impugn their character for doing so is completely unfair.

And yet on both sides of the debate, that's what has occurred in the aftermath of the Grossman matter.
posted on 2/18/2010