Even the Very Wise Cannot
Thursday, April 15th, 2010James French, in an attempt to control his destiny…
Syck
The 11 Most Badass Last Words Ever Uttered:
Last Words Of: James French, convicted murderer
James French was already serving a life sentence in an Ohio prison in 1966 when he began to realize that life is a really long fucking time. Unwilling to complete his sentence and reportedly scared of suicide, he did the only logical thing: kill his cell mate in an effort to convince the state to execute him.
We’re cool with someone wanting to be in control of their destiny, but did you have to be such a dick about it, James? Wouldn’t a pretty-please-with-sugar-on-top-execute-me have sufficed? This was 1966 in Ohio, so all he really would have had to do is tell a guard “You know what I like? Black-white integration and homosexuality—lots of homosexuality!” and his fate would have been sealed well enough.
Regardless, these were his final words as being strapped into the electric chair. Puns aren’t usually our thing, but pun + capital punishment = funny.
Interesting that they would know this, and nevertheless give in to his wishes. The other side of the death penalty controversy–
And I know that it’s wikipedia, but this ranking chart is pretty interesting:
# executions by country
For example, how America has the most executions right after “the sketchy” countries of the world…check out China’s ranking as #1.
Killing a murderer is an easy out to a difficult situation. And as Gandalf said (SOMEtimes sci-fi and fantasy can lend an awesome perspective on life, so go ahead and make fun of me for loving it)
“Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo?
Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise can not see all ends.”
Besides: the inFinite can be more terrifying than the Finite. Death is life’s (de)Finitive conclusion; whoever decides they are worthy to wield the power of determining other’s limits of life are probably not worthy of that station at all. Let’s not make the law the base savagery of “an eye for an eye”–
But then again, I have no idea what kind of motives would drive me to take someone’s life. And in terms of destiny, it is also easier to control the destiny of your death than the destiny of your life and its impact… unless, of course, you’re murdered.
Smart-assery aside, Iran is the focus of juvenile execution controversy– er, well, morally, I don’t think it’s a controversy, I think it’s stupid and wrong– but where does one draw the line (in terms of seriousness, age, premeditation, etc.)? And are people truly ugly inside, morally decrepit, desperately savage? Common sense-wise, I feel like there should be a baseline of normality– but that may be because I’ve been lucky enough to grow up in the developed areas of the world…
I guess I’m asking: Can people CHANGE? Is there a limit to how much a person can change?
Hmm.
Gracee
