Posted on 12/08/2005 9:23:54 AM PST by NormsRevenge
For the fifth year in a row, a Bay Area philosophy professor has nominated condemned inmate Stanley Tookie Williams for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing the Crips founder's postconviction writings and other efforts to keep youths from joining gangs.
"He's a peacemaker because his message has connected with thousands upon thousands of people," said Philip Gasper, who chairs the philosophy and religion department at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont. "Mr. Williams' voice has a resonance and a credibility with children."
If his conversion to anti-gang advocacy "is a ruse, it's a ruse that has had a wonderful effect," Gasper said. "He has probably saved hundreds of lives."
Williams was convicted of the 1979 shotgun murders of a convenience store clerk in Whittier (Los Angeles County) and of a couple and their adult daughter at their Los Angeles motel.
In 1996, Williams published "Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence," an eight-book series for children ages 5 to 10. Two years later, he published "Life in Prison," aimed at teenagers.
His "Protocol for Street Peace," posted on the tookie.com Web site, has been used by rival gangs to broker gang truces.
Gasper's latest nomination -- endorsed by 32 other professors from the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia -- came less than a week before Williams is to be executed at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday at San Quentin State Prison. Gasper acknowledged that his announcement at a news conference was intended to highlight Williams' case, one day before the inmate's attorneys plead for clemency before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Williams' critics have pointed out that around 150 people are nominated for the peace prize annually. The state attorney general's office said last week that over the years, nominees have included Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Well, considering Jimmah Cahtuh and Arafat won one..
Given that his biggest seller sold under 350 copies this is an unmitigated crock of shite.
Hand him the million dollar check and then stick the needle in his arm.
"I also didn't expect the Crips to end up ruining the lives of so many young people, especially young black men who have hurt other young black men. . . . So today I apologize to you all -- the children of America and South Africa -- who must cope every day with dangerous street gangs. I no longer participate in the so-called gangster lifestyle, and I deeply regret that I ever did."
"As a contribution to the struggle to end child-on-child brutality and black-on-black brutality, I have written the Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence children's book series."
This is the substance of his "apology" and his message. There isn't a word of sympathy for his victims, or other innocent victims of gang crime. His sympathy is for the gang members. He regrets their -- and his own -- self-destruction -- that is all.
I think Tookie is still the same racist he was when he murdered whites and Asians in cold blood, laughed about their suffering, and stated that he wanted to kill all whites.
Put another way, his "redemption" is really just self-pity -- extended to those he views as being like himself.
All inmates on death row should simply write some childrens books if clemency is granted. It's a sure ticket to Life in prison with 3 square meals a day.
And the same guy probably thinks the Prez should be put to death for saving millions of innocent lives at the cost of terrorists - ironic, no?
Good for him. Give him an award for his books and the chair for the murders.
I wonder who sent in this guy's "nomination"? From what I understand, anybody can "nominate" anyone else.
Too bad for Tookie that he didn't commit his crimes in Illinois. He would have been let off the hook years ago by his fellow Nobel Prize nominee, Gov. George "Lyin'" Ryan.
Wonderful, perfesser. But his execution will also send a valuable anti-gang message to young people! : "Stay out of gangs and stay out of the gas chamber!"
His victims were white (or Asian). Maybe they don't deserve an apology?
All nominations were by professors who are anti-death penalty activists. Tookie has also been nominated by one of these idiots for a Nobel in Literature for the same reason.
Tookie need to go by-bye....
You are exactly right. Execellent post.
Incidentally, you probably know that today is the day that the Governor will listen to the clemency request of Tookie Williams. Each side will have a half-hour to present their best case regarding clemency.
It is probably worth reviewing just exactly what Tookie did to receive the death penalty.
In 1979 Tookie murdered four innocent, defenseless people with a shotgun at point blank range. During his first murder he ordered a convenient store clerk into the back room and told him to "lay face down on the floor you mother----er." While the clerk was begging for his life, Tookie walked over to this young man and shot him in the back at contact range with a shotgun. The rush of blood in the victims lungs and throat made a horrible gurgling sound and the man struggled to breathe. Tookie then fired another killing round into the man's back -- again at contact range. Later that evening while eating a hamburger Tookie bragged about the murder and laughed while recalling the agony, gurgling sounds and the desperate gasping of the victim.
Eleven days later Tookie broke into a small motel at 5:30 in the morning. When confronted by the owner he shot the man point blank with a shotgun. He broke into the owners bedroom and shot and killed his wife at point blank range with the same shotgun. When their daughter came running to their rescue he shot her in the face and brutally killed their daughter with the same powerful shotgun. Then Tookie calmly raided the cash register and drove away with a hundred dollars -- the only receipts for the evening.
Tookie was convicted of murder and sentenced to death for these wanton, brutal acts of murder. During the sentencing phase of his trial he looked over to the jury and mouthed "I will get everyone of you mother----ers."
Tookie is a savage, unrepentant murderer who refuses to acknowledge his crimes. He has not apologized for these crimes, sought the forgiveness of these victim's families or has shown any remorse at all for what he has done. Clemency should be categorily denied.
For those of you who can not grasp the horror of what Tookie has done and would be free to do again if he is granted clemency and set free again, like many of his supporters desire, here are the photographs of his victims -- after he murdered them. Warning they are very graphic.
http://www.capitalideasblog.com/
So...subtract those hundreds of lives from the thousands of lives that his Crips have taken, and the result is: Tookie responsible for the deaths of thousands.
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