Condemned US inmate nominated anew for Nobel Peace Prize [Tookie Williams]

AFP ^ | 12/6/5

[SmithL]

SAN FRANCISCO - A condemned US inmate who turned from a gang leader to an anti-gang advocate behind bars has been nominated for the 2006 Nobel peace prize, the college professor behind the nomination said.

Professor Philip Gasper of Notre Dame de Namur University in California has nominated convicted killer Stanley "Tookie" Williams for the prize five years in a row, according to Alice Kim of the Campaign to Stop the Death Penalty.

A Swiss parliamentarian was the first to recommend Williams for the prize, Kim said.

"I respect him for his willingness to be public with his stand against gangs and for peace, though he must cope daily with a violent prison environment where gang members and unfriendly prison officials surround him, many of whom do not support his message or his work," said Gasper.

"Moreover, I admire Mr. Williams because of his ability to do this remarkable work for youth, despite the fact that he is, in prison jargon, a 'dead man walking'."

Williams is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection in San Quentin Prison on the San Francisco Bay early on Dec. 13.

Celebrity governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will hold a clemency hearing on Thursday at which each side will get 30 minutes to make their case why Williams should be spared or killed.

"His contributions to anti-gang activities; his children's books and his role in negotiating gang truces has had effects in the United States and internationally," Gasper told AFP.

"This is somebody who is playing a very positive role. It would be a huge loss to society to stop him from playing that role."

Williams, who co-founded the notorious Crips gang in Los Angeles, has maintained his innocence in the four 1979 murders that resulted in his death sentence.

The 51-year-old Williams was convicted in 1981 of the murders but has since renounced his violent past, penned children's books and worked to stem gang warfare.

Aside from writing children's books with anti-gang themes, Williams has inked a "Protocol for Street Peace" for gangs to use to achieve truces.

Gasper, head of the department of philosophy and religion at the private Catholic university in Northern California, said his nomination of Williams for the peace prize was endorsed by 32 other professors.

Support for Williams has gained momentum in recent weeks. Rallies have grown increasingly frequent at the prison gates. Actors, musicians, Nobel laureates and political leaders have urged Schwarzenegger to grant clemency.

Rapper Snoop Dogg, born Calvin Broadus, lobbied for Williams in his latest music CD and in a new music video.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People launched a four-city tour in California on Tuesday to rally support for Williams.

Meanwhile, a group called Religious Imperative to Stop State Murders and a hippie-generation icon, "Wavy Gravy," dressed as "Santa Insanity Claus" planned a demonstration at the prison gates on Tuesday.

Gravy and the group were to deliver gifts including Life Saver candy "for the children of the world," a life preserver for Schwarzenegger and Twinkies for inmates, organizers said.

Vigils outside the prison were expected to intensify with the approach of the execution date.

[Itzlzha]

"I respect him for his willingness to be public with his stand against gangs and for peace, though he must cope daily with a violent prison environment where gang members and unfriendly prison officials surround him, many of whom do not support his message or his work," said Gasper.

Um...Tookie is the GODFATHER of Gang Violence! And how sad that this POS MURDERER should have to be inconvenienced by having "unfriendly Prison officials surround him"? Perhaps a weekend pass to the Kennedy Mansions, or Chappaqua is in order!

"Moreover, I admire Mr. Williams because of his ability to do this remarkable work for youth, despite the fact that he is, in prison jargon, a 'dead man walking'."

OMG!

Perhaps this IDIOT of a professor might nominate the cartoonist for a Nobel Prize?

But, no...that wouldn't advance the "agenda" that is at the heart of all LIEberals...evil incarnate!

[rlmorel]

"Eeeeeek! They wouldn't execute a Nobel Nominee, would they?"

Given the quality of the nominees over the last few decades...that might not be a bad idea!

[Itzlzha]

Oh, I found Tookie's Cheerleader's Web Blog page!

Do note that there is CONTACT INFO for Professor Phillip Gasper at the bottom of said page!

Perhaps he needs to see the pics of Tookie's handiwork!

[nonkultur]

"his children's books"

The books that sold about 50 copies in a vanity press?

[magslinger]

Does anyone actually believe that a Nobel Peace Prize is noteworthy anymore?

Maybe it should be used like the #3 slot in al-Qaeda, as a target indicator?

[tertiary01]

I will post here esssentially what I told the governor's office.

I find the fact that a convicted death row inmate is chumming up to our children via his coauthored silly books to be another repulsive act.

[purpleland]

Please note that tens of thousands of dollars have been spent by ill-liberal signators, e.g., Ed Asner and Harry Belafonte who are America's precious communists, for full page ads in the L.A. Times. What is the economic status of the surviving families of Tookie's murder victims? This ill-liberal *cause celebre* typically ignores the true victims and survivors. Now, when self-avowed communist Belafonte supports an alleged "humanitarian" cause like saving convicted murderer Tookie from execution, one should recognize that it's a communist cause. Both Ed Asner and Harry Belafonte are members of the *Rosenberg Foundation* which is a non-profit entity opposing the death penalty and, undoubtedly, any concept of TREASON. (!)
http://www.rosenbergfdn.org

[purpleland]

"Adios, Tookie."

If Calif. Gov. Arnie does not give clemancy to Tookie, leftists will use "Arnie" to replace "McCarthyism" as the scapegoat codeword to eternally vilify and defame proponents of the death penalty and righteous moralists in general.

[longtermmemmory]

Can we nominate Jim Robinson for a Nobel Prize in communications or peace?

Can we nominate Free Republic?

[Willie Green]

"Eeeeeek! They wouldn't execute a Nobel Nominee, would they?"

Why not?
After all, they can still give him the award posthumously.
It's not as if the Peace Prize is meaningful anymore.

[engrpat]

If Calif. Gov. Arnie does not give clemency to Tookie

I fear that Arnie will cave and grant clemency to Tookie and will come out with some lame reason for doing so. I just don't see the Gov going against his buddies in Hollywood.

Sure hope I am wrong

[BraveMan]

Prepare for the Crips' explosion of violence when lovable "Tookie" (what a cute name for a thug) Williams is martyred. Just in time for Christmas . . .

[manglor]

Alfred Nobel invented Dynamite. I can think of a Nobel prize Tookie really deserves...

[hinckley buzzard]

Do they give posthumous Nobel prizes? If so, and considering the moral turpitude of the Nobel panel in recent years, I'd say Tookie's heirs will be getting a big bonus in the mail this year.

[purpleland]

If Calif. Gov. Arnie does not give clemency to Tookie
I fear that Arnie will cave and grant clemency to Tookie and will come out with some lame reason for doing so. I just don't see the Gov going against his buddies in Hollywood.

Sure hope I am wrong

*If Arnie gives clemency to Tookie, he loses credibility.
If Arnie does not, he will be the loathesome object of "liberal" vilification for eternity.

Which of the two possibilities would Arnie's ego and/or self-image find intolerable?

[tgusa]

let 'em howl.

[GunnyHartman]

If he is awarded the nobel POS prize, all monies should be given to his victims' families.

[Red6]

Can I flip the switch? Can I?

Red6

[bigsigh]

..............though he must cope daily with a violent prison environment where gang members and unfriendly prison officials surround him, many of whom do not support his message or his work," said Gasper.

I've noticed a lot of war mongering, unfriendly prison officials lately.

[knews_hound]

I make my case for being Nominated here.

I am still looking for a volunteer !

Cheers,

knews hound

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