09-22-11
A few hours ago the state of Georgia murdered Troy Davis. He had been on death row for 20 years, after being convicted for the 1989 murder of a police officer. A conviction that came despite a complete lack of any physical evidence tying him to the crime. A conviction about which so much doubt had been raised that his execution had been delayed multiple times over the years. A conviction that almost certainly would not have happened had the case not been about a black man charged with killing a white cop.
Seven of nine witnesses against him had recanted their testimony. Another man had reportedly confessed to the crime. At the very least there was enough doubt raised to grant him a new trial, but it never happened. The long, racist arm of southern "justice" had made its decision. Clearly, they couldn't bare the thought of a black man walking free, even if he was innocent. Clearly, the thought of a little more work to ensure true justice never occurred to them. Clearly, they're far too shallow to understand that regardless of the color of our skin, we all bleed red.
But the state sanctioned murder of Troy Davis is not just a Georgia crime. It's a national crime committed in the name of every American citizen. Everyone who claims to believe in freedom and justice for all bears the responsibility of acting in the interest of stopping the barbaric practice of capital punishment, if for no other reason than to ensure that no more innocent people are put to death.
We must also insist on a mainstream media that tells the entire story, instead of just enough to keep the waters muddied and the people misinformed. Blatant media misdirection was front and center as I read an article on the ABC News website last night. They were reporting on the last minute delay of Davis' execution that was ordered by the United States Supreme Court, so they could decide whether or not to hear his final appeal (which they refused to do). The ABC piece said that although the execution had been delayed several times, Davis had failed to prove his innocence.
Could it be any more obvious that the media wants us to forget that in the American justice system the burden of proof is on the prosecution? Could it be any clearer that they prefer embracing complicity in the crimes of the state to keeping We the People truly informed?
If we don't wake up as a nation and understand that such crimes are committed not just against the one who dies, but all of us, the American Dream stands no chance of survival.
We are all Troy Davis.
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