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Troy Davis Dies, Jim Crow Lives


No murder weapon, no physical evidence, 7 out of 9 witnesses recant their testimony and these witnesses know of another suspect who is possibly responsible for the death of police officer Mark McPhail. Reasonable doubt? Sounds like it to me, and every other reasonably prudent person on this earth, I’m sure. Apparently, the State of Georgia Paroles Board does not agree. Troy Davis, a man who has been in jail for 20 years is possibly innocent, was executed today.

This saddens me. This is another example of our flawed criminal justice system. I am going to come right out and say it: I am against the death penalty. AND, I am especially against the death penalty when there is a slight inch of doubt. Why have we as a nation been so progressive on many issues but still remain the only western nation that has not abandoned the death penalty. This frontier mentality of justice is not working for us, it’s working against us.

How can this not take you back to the dark days when African Americans were lynched, mutilated and murdered often times for crimes they did not commit because of the color of their skin? This is nothing new. Emmit Till, the Scottsboro Boys…. I’m sure there are many more.

What is it going to take to reform a racist criminal system? Thoughts?

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Don't Ask, But Do Tell


The long hush-hush approach of "don't ask, don't tell" of the United States Military finally ended today, beginning in the Army. The Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy of the US military was long upheld with very stringent consequences to those whose sexual orientation favored their same sex. According to Rueters, over 13,000 servicemen and women have been expelled from the military since the policy first went into effect in 1993.

Many celebrations have been sponsored all over the nation regarding this victory, but will this victory further support gay marriage? The US government has allowed any man or woman who is capable to serve be apart of protecting our nation, regardless of their personal choices. Will this mean our government will take a more open approach for same-sex marriage? Currently, Conneticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and Washington, DC (that's right, our nation's capital) grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and other states allow for civil unions and registered partnerships.

Much debate both in the courtroom and on the Congressional floor has sought to define what is constitutionally right pertaining to marriage, and the discussion is far from over. I personally feel with the repeal of DADT policy, this may prove to be a hinderance to the advancement of same-sex marriage. All persons now have the right to openly express their love-preference without fear or shame in one of the oldest institutions of United States history, but I feel this will be more of a consolation prize for same-sex issues than a true victory.

I am afraid the new argument to the defining whether same-sex marriage is right or not will be "You can openly express your sexual orientation in the military, you do not need to have marriage as well." Who knows, maybe this is far from what the outcry will be. 18 years of silence definitely allows for 18 years of someone speaking out; I just hope the right voice is being heard.


What do you think? I definitely want to hear from those who are against DADT and same-sex marriage.

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