I feel compelled to write in response to the Nov. 26 letter about George Bush, the Texas death penalty and the Constitution of the United States. (“President Bush: Has even broader power to execute”).
The writer made some passionate but incorrect statements regarding all three. First, under the Texas state constitution, the governor of that state has no legal standing to grant a clemency unless recommended by the state parole board. The number of recommendations turned away by George Bush requesting such action – zero. The writer’s statement that Bush “oversaw” 150 executions while governor of Texas is uninformed at best.
Secondly, the preamble to the Constitution starts with three words, “We the People.” The Fourteenth amendment starts with “all people born or naturalized in the United States,” and goes on to state that “no law shall be made to abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” Obviously the Constitution was intended for citizens of this country. The Founding Fathers in their infinite wisdom allows the government to “constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court.” George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt all saw it fitting that to provide for the “common defense” such tribunals be convened. Sounds like good company to me.
Something may have escaped the letter writer’s attention. We were attacked by murderous zealots who have a stated purpose of the extinction of the United States. Recovered documents show that al-Qaida intends to use sarin, botulism, nuclear weapons, airplanes, bombings and whatever else they can use to kill us. How many innocent people must die before the guilty are punished?
It’s plain that the writer of this letter isn’t concerned too much with the facts. One fact that’s inescapable is that we are indeed at war. We had an administration that didn’t take the bombings of the World Trade Center and two American embassies in Africa seriously enough to stop these murderers. Thank God the present one does. The writer can go and yell and scream all she wants, but she should be thankful that someone is protecting her right to do so.
Lake Stevens
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
