Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 20, 2006 15:13:38 GMT -5
Rethinking Richards' legacy
Enough with the myth-making already. Liberal commentators have been
falling all over themselves for the last week to get a word in about how
much they just loved Ann Richards, painting a picture of the former
governor that has nothing to do with reality. So, she was "feisty" and
"witty," and it was just hilarious when she got on that Harley. Ann
Richards sure was a barrel of fun.
Unless you were in prison or on death row, that is. She oversaw the
largest prison expansion in U.S. history, adding greatly to the number of
Texans, primarily blacks and Hispanics, locked away for years on end. She
also presided over 50 executions.
Despite what her defenders say, her hands weren't tied on this issue. Most
members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles are appointed by the governor,
and the board's chairman serves "at the pleasure of the governor" (Texas
Administrative Code). Given the flaws of the Texas justice system, she
could have instructed the board to commute all death sentences they
reviewed to life in prison. But she didn't. What kind of "civil rights
pioneer" doesn't do anything to stop the Texas death penalty that so
unfairly targets people of color and the poor?
And what kind of "progressive" was Richards when she callously signed the
death warrant of Johnny Frank Garrett, a juvenile offender? Amnesty
International cited Garrett as being "extremely mentally impaired,
chronically psychotic and brain-damaged." Who is remembering her for this?
Progressives need to stop making excuses for the miserable "leaders" who
claim to represent us. We should expect so much more.
Some may say it's inappropriate to criticize Richards at the time of her
death. If her family or friends happen to read this, perhaps they could
reflect on the pain they feel and begin to understand the pain that the
families and friends of so many killed in the Texas execution chamber felt
during the tenure of this "witty" and charming "true Texas icon."
Quent Reese----First-year doctor of pharmacy student
(source : The (Univ. Texas) Daily Texan)
Enough with the myth-making already. Liberal commentators have been
falling all over themselves for the last week to get a word in about how
much they just loved Ann Richards, painting a picture of the former
governor that has nothing to do with reality. So, she was "feisty" and
"witty," and it was just hilarious when she got on that Harley. Ann
Richards sure was a barrel of fun.
Unless you were in prison or on death row, that is. She oversaw the
largest prison expansion in U.S. history, adding greatly to the number of
Texans, primarily blacks and Hispanics, locked away for years on end. She
also presided over 50 executions.
Despite what her defenders say, her hands weren't tied on this issue. Most
members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles are appointed by the governor,
and the board's chairman serves "at the pleasure of the governor" (Texas
Administrative Code). Given the flaws of the Texas justice system, she
could have instructed the board to commute all death sentences they
reviewed to life in prison. But she didn't. What kind of "civil rights
pioneer" doesn't do anything to stop the Texas death penalty that so
unfairly targets people of color and the poor?
And what kind of "progressive" was Richards when she callously signed the
death warrant of Johnny Frank Garrett, a juvenile offender? Amnesty
International cited Garrett as being "extremely mentally impaired,
chronically psychotic and brain-damaged." Who is remembering her for this?
Progressives need to stop making excuses for the miserable "leaders" who
claim to represent us. We should expect so much more.
Some may say it's inappropriate to criticize Richards at the time of her
death. If her family or friends happen to read this, perhaps they could
reflect on the pain they feel and begin to understand the pain that the
families and friends of so many killed in the Texas execution chamber felt
during the tenure of this "witty" and charming "true Texas icon."
Quent Reese----First-year doctor of pharmacy student
(source : The (Univ. Texas) Daily Texan)