Texas governor and Republican presidential contender Rick Perry has faced criticism from the left (and applause from the right) for his heavy-handed use of the death penalty. And Perry has said that he loses no sleep over the possibility that he may have executed an innocent man. Continue reading
The drama continues in the case of America’s most famous living death row prisoner. Continue reading
With President Obama running for a second term, I cannot help but wonder which Obama we will see as the reelection campaign heats up over the coming year. Continue reading
On August 19, three men walked out of prison in Arkansas after spending nearly 20 years behind bars for a triple murder that they maintain they did not commit. The crime involved the brutal killing of three 8-year-old boys. Continue reading
It seems that lawsuits are never simple, and there are always at least two sides. Continue reading
Dr. Jack Kevorkian passed away on June 3. He died the old-fashioned way—in a Michigan hospital bed while suffering from pulmonary thrombosis. Kevorkian, also known as “Dr. Death,” was famous as a proponent and provider of physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill. Continue reading
On May 12, Amnesty International (AI) released its annual report on the state of human rights in the world. The report examines the human rights records of 159 countries around in the world during 2010. Continue reading
As of April 11, the average price for a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. was $3.79. And I hear people complaining about it all the time. Continue reading
The Planned Parenthood organization is under attack from the right. With ACORN out of the way, I guess they needed to invent a new bogeyman to distract us from their failure to create all those new jobs they promised us during the 2010 campaign season. Continue reading
Obama was elected to the presidency because we the people were ready for a change from the Bush regime. We were tired and angry with the Texas swagger and the bully-like approach to foreign policy. (“You’re with us or you’re with the terrorists!”) We expected Obama to waste no time in reversing the Bush administration’s more heinous (and, some say, illegal) policies in the so-called “war on terror.” Continue reading
March 8 is International Women’s Day (IWD), a day celebrated worldwide to mark the economic, political, and social achievements of women. And, while women’s rights have advanced considerably in a world of still mostly patriarchal cultures, we nevertheless have a long way to go to achieve true equality. Continue reading
Around the world, the frustration of ordinary people with the economy, unemployment, corruption, and repression has reached critical mass. They’re mad as hell, as the famous movie line goes, and they’re not going to take it anymore. The people are taking to the streets in protest. And it’s working—maybe. Continue reading
Whenever I write or speak about my opposition to the death penalty, I invariably hear from death penalty proponents who argue that killing the killer serves the best interests of the victim’s family, giving them closure. Continue reading
On February 11, Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak stepped down, leaving the Egyptian military in charge until a new government can be established. Mubarak’s resignation came after more than two weeks of protests in which the people of Egypt called for an end to Mubarak’s repressive regime. Continue reading
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Oregon governor rightly suspends death penalty
Posted on November 30, 2011 by Mary Shaw
In a September 7 debate among the GOP presidential hopefuls, Texas Governor Rick Perry seemed quite proud of leading the country in death row executions. He indicated that he loses no sleep over the possibility of executing an innocent person. This is despite the fact that we now know that at least one innocent man—Cameron Todd Willingham—had died by lethal injection on Perry’s watch. Continue reading →