Wednesday, January 7, 1998

Deserving to die?

For as long as I've been able to reason, I've opposed the death penalty. It has an eerie sound, "the death penalty." It brings thoughts of barbarism to mind. Certainly, righteous ideals must be ignored when we consider death for our fellow man.

Wait a minute. Death to those "we" deem deserving of dying at the hands of the state? Hey, we're talking about my hands. As a citizen who is obligated to participate in democracy, I too am a small voice within the state. Am I consenting to my government's right to kill?

Well, I don't know about you, but I don't believe in the state having the power to kill a citizen with my consent or without it. Wasn't it Phil Donohue, the retired talk show host, who suggested we televise state executions?

We know that in the United States alone, between 1900-1985, 350 people who were sentenced to death were found innocent of the crime after they were convicted, and 23 of those were actually executed, according to Amnesty International.

Wouldn't it have been better to lock them up and let them pay their penalty doing time? If we're truly concerned about individuals, and knowing this record, how can we justify state or federal executions of people convicted of a crime?

CHARLES RUSSELL

Abilene

City pay raises short

This letter is in regard to the story about the city employees who received raises over the five percent cap on raises.

It really says a lot for our City Council that does not know or even care about the other employees who cannot get a 5 percent raise no matter how good a job they do for the city of Abilene.

This shows the council has no care in the world for the employees who work nights and weekends away from their families. The city offers no benefits to speak of for the employees. They pay for their insurance; if they want dental they have to pay for that, and there's no kind of vision insurance at all.

If the council wants to make a difference, find out about your employees and the salaries you pay them, and you try to make a living on that.

TRACIE DAVIS

Abilene

Via e-mail

Concerned response

I'm gay and very proud of Abilene. I wanted to thank Abilene for a compassionate response to the recent torching of Abilene's only gay bar, Just Friends.

Many in the Abilene community responded with not only concern but also heartfelt pain that there are some who may have been the victims of an injustice in our community.

FRANKY MAY

Abilene

Noted war criminal

I am continually amazed by comments I read in the newspaper, but I think the one in Molly Ivins' Jan. 4 column should win some sort of prize.

Her comment about the Humanitarian of the Year Award by the United Jewish Appeal that was presented by Henry Kissinger to Rupert Murdoch describes Kissinger as "the noted war criminal."

I had completely missed the "fact" that Kissinger was or is a "noted war criminal." I am now wondering how he managed to be appointed to the post of Secretary of State with this in his record. When was he tried and convicted and by whom?

We need to know this, and I am sure Ivins can clear it up, as she apparently knows all about everything. There would appear to be a serious breakdown in our cabinet appointment procedures if a "noted war criminal" can get by.

WILLIAM PAGE

Abilene