Dear Editor:
I read your CounterPunch article and came away with even more reason to oppose state sanctioned murder. To me, it is not only asinine but immoral. There is no logic in thinking that individuals who murder are criminals but a society that murders murderers is not.
North Mankato, MN
On the other hand
Dear Editor:
I agree that few states are as unseemly in their rush to kill as Texas. I’m sure the governor was terrified that something was going to come between him and his god-given right to strap that man to a gurney and stick a needle in his arm, and that he made himself as inaccessible as possible so as to be able to proceed.
Granted also that Medellin should have had the counsel of his embassy, etc. etc.
But what is all this fuss about his being a Mexican citizen in a U.S. jail? What is all this fuss about involving the World Court in his case? We don’t do the same for our own citizens, the poor African-Americans who sit on death row and outnumber whites all out of proportion to their numbers in the population. What is so damned special about a Mexican rapist-murderer? Why is his death any more tragic than those of the others who die so frequently in Texas? The man was scum. Perhaps life without the possibility of parole was the proper thing to do. But why all this outcry over him and not over others on death row, some of whom we know, statistically, are innocent?
The death of each and every Iraqi citizen we have caused in our invasion matters infinitely more than the death of this rapist-murderer. All lives are not equal, and all deaths are not equal. To pretend otherwise is to take idealism to unsustainable heights. Do you want to imagine the last hours of those girls’ lives? Does that count for anything with you? I am not arguing here for the death penalty, just for locking the man up and throwing away the key. But to involve the World Court? Why was he worth it and not our own citizens?
Just curious.
Sunnyvale, CA
Dear Just Curious:
Actually you have answered your own question. If you agree that Mr. Medellin should have been granted the legal assistance of the Mexican Consulate in this matter, then you understand why the World Court was involved in the case. Since Mr. Medellin was not granted the legal assistance that he should have received, Mexico asked the World Court to order a review of his case. Here’s the official language of the World Court order of 16 July, 2008:
The United States of America shall take all measures necessary to ensure that Messrs. José Ernesto Medellín Rojas, César Roberto Fierro Reyna, Rubén Ramírez Cárdenas, Humberto Leal García, and Roberto Moreno Ramos are not executed pending judgment on the Request for interpretation submitted by the United Mexican States, unless and until these five Mexican nationals receive review and reconsideration consistent with paragraphs 138 to 141 of the Court’s Judgment delivered on 31 March 2004 in the case concerning Avena and Other Mexican Nationals (Mexico v. United States of America);
All that was asked was a “review” of the Medellin case to determine the likely effect of his not having received the representation that he was entitled to. This is what Texas officials refused to provide.
Regarding the comparison of Mr. Medellin’s unnecessary execution to the unnecessary killing of other people in the USA and Iraq, we would be sad to think that we have communicated that there is any reason to take one unnecessary killing as either more or less wrong than another.
But we take your point, that we seem to live in a United States so saturated with examples of unnecessary killing that it must sound very strange to hear someone complain about this one. Nevertheless, we have “preserved the error” for the record. If wanton killing makes a person “scum,” then I would encourage you to reflect on what the United States use of tax dollars makes of us all.–gm
Speaking for the Ruling Majority
Dear Editor:
Was the execution necessary? Absolutely…it was not only necessary but long overdue. Failure to execute justice and the long wait to terminate this brutal murderer continues to show how lightly we value life.
Those who have no regard for life as he did must understand that those of us see life as a GOD given gift and to take one so casually must elicit a harsh response otherwise this type of act will become even more common place. This murderer gave up his right when he took a life as he did and now his life is over. There is no satifaction in seeing him die for now he will have to account for his life in the presence of God.
I’m not sure what your point was in the article but to think his execution was not necessary is a total mistake. That kind of talk fails to address those who have been injured in such a senseless crime and live constantly with the loss.
Oceanside, Ca.
Dear Editor
I will tell one thing, this particular killer will not be killing again AND we will not be supporting him the rest of his life.
[Dear] Editor:
Well this piece if sh*t Medellin will never kill again and wont cost the US taxpayer to house, clothe and feed anymore. Like that thrid world dungheap Mexico really cares about one of its citizens. You liberals are the death of America.
Texas Civil Rights Review 