Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Freedom
On the way to work this morning I heard the attached passage on our local country (102.7 Hitkicker) music station. The ironic thing is that I don’t normally listen to country music but I am a male and I was doing the radio version of channel surfing. I think you’ll find this exchange between Richard Reid (the notorious shoe bomber) and Judge William Young interesting. Remember the guy who got on a plane with a bomb built into his shoe and tried to light it? Did you know his trial is over? Did you know he was sentenced? Did you see/hear any of the judge’s comments on TV or Radio? Didn't think so. Everyone should hear what the judge had to say.
Ruling by Judge William Young, US District Court. Prior to sentencing, the Judge asked the defendant if he had anything to say. His response: After admitting his guilt to the court for the record, Reid also admitted his "allegiance to Osama bin Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah," defiantly stating, "I think I will not apologize for my actions," and told the court "I am at war with your country."
Judge Young then delivered the statement quoted below: January 30, 2003, United States vs. Reid. Judge Young:
"Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you. On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney General.
On counts 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutively. (That's 80 years.)
On count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years again, to be served consecutively to the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon you for each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 that's an aggregate fine of $2 million.
The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines. The Court imposes upon you an $800 special assessment. The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no further.
This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes. It is a fair and just sentence. It is a righteous sentence. Now, let me explain this to you. We are not afraid of you or any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have been through the fire before. There is too much war talk here and I say that to every-one with the utmost respect.
Here in this court, we deal with individuals as individuals and care for individuals as individuals. As human beings, we reach out for justice. You are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist. You are not a soldier in any war. You are a terrorist. To give you that reference, to call you a soldier, gives you far too much stature.
Whether the officers of government do it or your attorney does it, or if you think you are a soldier. You are not----- you are a terrorist. And we do not negotiate with terrorists. We do not meet with terrorists. We do not sign documents with terrorists. We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice. So war talk is way out of line in this court.
You are a big fellow. But you are not that big. You're no warrior. I've known warriors. You are a terrorist. A species of criminal that is guilty of multiple attempted murders. In a very real sense, State Trooper Santiago had it right when you first were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and the TV crews were, and he said: "You're no big deal."
You are no big deal. What your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific. What was it that led you here to this courtroom today? I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing? And, I have an answer for you. It may not satisfy you, but as I search this entire record, it comes as close to understanding as I know.
It seems to me you hate the one thing that to us is most precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we individually choose. Here, in this society, the very wind carries freedom. It carries it everywhere from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom. So that everyone can see, truly see, that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely. It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on your behalf, have filed appeals, will go on in their representation of you before other judges.
We Americans are all about freedom. Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties. Make no mistake though. It is yet true that we will bare any burden; pay any price, to preserve our freedoms. Look around this courtroom. Mark it well. The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here. The day after tomorrow, it will be forgotten, but this, however, will long endure. Here in this courtroom and courtrooms all across America, the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done.
The very President of the United States through his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be judged and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice.
See that flag, Mr. Reid? That's the flag of the United States of America. That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag stands for freedom. And it always will.
Mr. Custody Officer. Stand him down. "
It has been said that America was founded on “Christian Values.” I’m sure that there are many who would either deny or ascribe to the belief that America has forgotten it’s Christian heritage and to some extend I would agree. Perhaps in this exchange we’ve been reminded of (my opinion) one of those “Christian Values,” “freedom.”
In our country we are free which give us the “right” to live by those Christian Values or not. Just as it is between us and God. We are “free-willed agents” who have the freedom to accept or deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ which puts a huge void between Christianity and most other world religions. Perhaps it is this freedom that we have between us and God that is the greatest evidence of God’s love for us?
http://www.thehitkicker.com/inspirations.html
Comments:
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Thanks for posting this, Cecil! I'm going to respectfully submit a dissenting opinion, and I hope I don't come across as a Communist or something.
I don't condone terrorism, and I believe this guy certainly got what he justly deserved, but I don't really buy the argument that terrorists hate us because we stand for "freedom". You might as well say they hate sunshine or the sound of their children's laughter as say they hate freedom. Why would taking this man's freedoms away (in jail) be considered a punishment if he hated them anyway? I'm inclined to believe that the reason they hate us has more to do with historical factors, like our grossly biased support of Israel in the Middle East.
In (Islamic) Palestine people don't even have the freedom to visit their family members on the other side of town. This is enforced with American tanks, jets, and guns, purchased and operated by Israelis. Of course the nation of Israel has a right to defend itself, but we have to realize the part we've played in encouraging the cycle of violence there by helping to oppress freedoms. (The Islamic part of the Middle East is certainly all-too aware of it.)
Greg - I totally agree with you! How can we tell true statesmen from politicians? (Are there any left?)
I don't condone terrorism, and I believe this guy certainly got what he justly deserved, but I don't really buy the argument that terrorists hate us because we stand for "freedom". You might as well say they hate sunshine or the sound of their children's laughter as say they hate freedom. Why would taking this man's freedoms away (in jail) be considered a punishment if he hated them anyway? I'm inclined to believe that the reason they hate us has more to do with historical factors, like our grossly biased support of Israel in the Middle East.
In (Islamic) Palestine people don't even have the freedom to visit their family members on the other side of town. This is enforced with American tanks, jets, and guns, purchased and operated by Israelis. Of course the nation of Israel has a right to defend itself, but we have to realize the part we've played in encouraging the cycle of violence there by helping to oppress freedoms. (The Islamic part of the Middle East is certainly all-too aware of it.)
Greg - I totally agree with you! How can we tell true statesmen from politicians? (Are there any left?)
Randy - I thought so too.
Greg - I agree and we can only pray that the majority of those who serve in similar capacities listen to their hearts rather than ambition.
Justin - Your point is well taken and I've actually wondered about the same thing, do the Islamic terrorists hate us because we're free? I believe the factors you mention do play into their "hate equation" but I also think that these terrorists see us as infidels because of our society’s freedom to accept or reject Allah. In their twisted view of Islam it is better for the infidel (that would be us) to be dead than die an infidel.
Greg - I agree and we can only pray that the majority of those who serve in similar capacities listen to their hearts rather than ambition.
Justin - Your point is well taken and I've actually wondered about the same thing, do the Islamic terrorists hate us because we're free? I believe the factors you mention do play into their "hate equation" but I also think that these terrorists see us as infidels because of our society’s freedom to accept or reject Allah. In their twisted view of Islam it is better for the infidel (that would be us) to be dead than die an infidel.
Hadn't heard about the sentencing nor the speech. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Don't know if the judge's speech is right on target, but the criminal received more grace than he was willing to give.
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Don't know if the judge's speech is right on target, but the criminal received more grace than he was willing to give.
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