BCT Editorial – 3/18/08

This page was last updated on March 19, 2008.

Good advice; Editorial; Beaver County Times; March 18, 2008.

I actually agree the terrorists should not be killed, but only because they want to become martyrs and their deaths would elevate them in the eyes of followers. Whatever punishment would make them appear to be embarrassments in the eyes of current and potential followers is definitely the way to go. Otherwise, I’d like to see them dead.

The Times, however, was not exactly forthright when it supported AG Mukasey’s opinion. The editorial neglected to remind us the Times opposes capital punishment, period. I wonder why?

Of course, the editorial needed to take a shot at President Bush. The editorial said, “Given President Bush’s record when he was governor of Texas, there’s little reason to believe that he would stay their executions.” Approximately 150 murderers were executed while Mr. Bush was governor. What the editorial failed to note was the governor has limited ability to commute death sentences. In summary, the governor can commute a death sentence only when recommended by the majority of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. While he did commute one death sentence to life in 1998, I don’t know if Mr. Bush didn’t follow any Board recommendations.