Dubious company

Pope John-Paul II himself called for clemency upon this new-born Christian. To no avail, another new-born Christian refused to grant clemency on his sister in religion. Karla Faye Tucker was put to death on February 1998 whilst the governor (*) is said to have been mimicking her pleas for mercy. Had Jesus Christ returned on earth, those Christians would have been ready to hang him for objecting the killing of a sinner.

Since then, Texas has proceeded to more than 400 executions. Meanwhile there have been over 1,100 executions since the death penalty has been deemed not anti-constitutional back in 1976.
 

In 2006 alone, 53 persons have been put to death in the U.S. which has the privilege to share some dubious company:

1.      China (at least 1,010 but sources suggest the real tally is between 7,500 and 8,000)

2.      Iran (177)

3.      Pakistan (82)

4.      Iraq (at least 65)

5.      Sudan (at least 65)

6.      United States (53)

7.      And we don’t even know for North Korea…

Ever heard of the axis of evil?

Now, this is a topic where France would certainly be ill advised to teach lessons to the US since the death penalty has been abolished in 1981 only (last execution 1977). Nevertheless, save for the Terror period over 2 centuries ago, such a horrific number of executions was never even approached.

Many Americans wonder why they are often perceived as a boorish, crude and unsophisticated lot the world over. Maybe they could understand if they knew how this savagery, remnant of barbarian times, will mark another indelible stain in their history. Like slavery and the not-so-fair treatment of the native Indians have forever tainted their moral pretension to give lessons to all people of the world.

(*) The same governor, now a former president of the US, is personally responsible for the death of more 4,000 American soldiers and hundreds of thousands Iraqi lives. And he had the words “peace” and “democracy” on his lips each time he addressed his fellow American citizens. God told him what to do…

Note: The painting is “Dead Christ” by Andrea Mantegna. c. 1500. Oil on canvas. Galleria Brera, Milan, Italy.