Posted on 12/21/2005 3:30:08 AM PST by beaversmom
US celebrities and rights activists have lamented the execution of Stanley Tookie Williams at his funeral.
Hundreds of mourners came to the violence-wracked area of Los Angeles where Williams founded the murderous Crips gang three decades ago.
Under heavy police presence, a long line of people entered the 1,500-seat Bethel AME Church.
Vendors sold T-shirts with Williams' picture, and a large TV set up in the parking lot allowed the overflow crowd to watch the service.
Williams was executed on December 13 despite clemency pleas from celebrities and others who said he had rededicated his life to peace.
"It's nine-fifteen on twelve-thirteen and another black king will be taken from the scene," hip-hop star Snoop Dogg told mourners, reciting a poem about the execution.
The line "I don't believe Stan did it" drew wild applause in the parking lot.
Williams, 51, was put to death by injection at San Quentin Prison for the 1979 shotgun murders of a convenience store clerk and three motel owners.
"The war within me is over. I battled my demons and I was triumphant," Williams said in a recording played to mourners, whom he asked to spread a message to loved ones.
"Teach them how to avoid our destructive footsteps. Teach them to strive for higher education.
"Teach them to promote peace and teach them to focus on rebuilding the neighbourhoods that you, others and I helped to destroy."
The veteran civil rights campaigner Reverend Jesse Jackson decried the execution of Williams, who Jackson said saw himself in the end as a "healer, not a predator".
"Tookie is dead. We're not safer, we're not more secure, we're not more humane," Jackson said.
Well, he won't be robbing or killing innocents any more, Jess, so I'd say we are a bit safer, a bit more secure, and by putting a stop to this violent thug from hurting others, I'd say we are a bit more humane as well.
BTW Jesse, remember your quote about walking down a street one night and hearing voices of young boys behind you, then feeling relieved it was a few white kids, not black kids? What if it was Tookie and a couple of his friends?
Checked out the "Zombie" pictures - appropriate title for the site - not an attractive protester in the bunch.
(R)nold's statement. Good read:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1539274/posts
"Tookie is dead. We're not safer, we're not more secure, we're not more humane," Jackson said.
----Not safer? Not more secure? Your right Jackson, because there are more of his people out there just waiting to kill. Glad you admit his books were bulls**T and didn't do anyone any good.
As far as not humane? Neither was his method of putting to death innocent people. Quit whining and bellyaching. He was a murderer who was put to death. Get the hell over it.
this should be number 1.
ping for post #43
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