No, you're not wrong.

I was referring to the way the penal system describes life, never really understood it. I always thought life mean exactly that life, but later learned it meant different amounts of time.

I don't believe I ever once said I felt compassionate toward her, I did say I felt for her family and I was conflicted on the mercy thing. If I chose to take her in I would expect my neighbors who know me well would know I had a very good reason for doing so. But the fact is I would not take her in, and my reason for letting her go would have been more out of consideration for taxpayer costs than clemency.

I can't say that I am sitting her greaving for this woman, I just raised some questions that came to mind.

What about feeling for the families of the victims she helped kill? As for the saving taxpayers' costs, I agree with you -- she should've gotten the chair back in '71, and we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

Well of course I agree if people didn't commit crimes they would not be in jail. And of course I realize the victims can no longer spend time with their loved ones.

But can one have some compassion for the family of the other side as well. No? If a mother and or father commit a crime, do we punish the children and deny them seeing their parents, no matter what the parents did? Do the families of the criminals stop loving their family members because they committed a crime? Just wondering.

How could I not have commpassion for them.

Great question, and can I have some compassion for her family - just not as much as I have for the victims families. (being totally honest here).

Are we punishing her family? No, they have access to see her at their leisure.

Are criminals loved any less by family members? Doubt it.

The bottom line is, she helped take the lives of 8 people, while for the past 40 years, she's still been above ground. Hell, not even Ronnie Howard, her cellmate at Sybil Brand, whom Atkins scared the hell out of with her lurid details of the crimes, is even alive anymore.

Whether Atkins is an invalid, an amputee, terminally ill, supposedly "no longer a danger to anyone", whatever, she still has received better than she ever deserved.

I don't know why you all think I don't understand that just because I raise questions outside the main focus of her crime...

I personally was raised to believe that taking a life is wrong, no matter who does it or who order it done. You don't justify taking a life because the other person took a life. At the same time I am conflicted when I see the horrible crimes a person commits and my first gut reaction is to take their life.

I heard a young teen gang member that was being questioned say that when he first killed someone that it make him feel powerful, and that he enjoyed it. It made me physically ill to hear him say that. In the back of my mind was the thought, take the little ba$tard outside and blow him out of existence.

I understand what is being said here but for some reason all those grey thoughts are off limit.

this complete issue is a slap in the face of every person that served as a public servant in her trial

the jury said death

the judge said death

the bailiffs kept order through the ordeal

the law enforcement protected the scene and did the work to catch her

and then the state commutes the sentence too life (slap)

then the state resumes death and does not reinstate sentence (slap)

and now they are debating release (slap slap slap)

sorry i can not condone release to many people have already been stabbed in the back on this one (it is not like there is new evidence proving her not guilty)

We don't always get our way, Adj, because we don't exist alone. So it was a slap in the face for you, but not for me. When it was reinstated I accepted the fact that those that believed it should exist got their way this time.

That's usually what happens when people are passive and don't take a stand for anything.

And who the hell are you calling passive?

Anyone who is wishy-washy, can't make up their mind, accepts whatever is handed to them without question, etc. That's who the hell.

ok u2 sit at the table across from each other holding hands and look into the eyes of the other one

for 3 hours


and if you are licky it will be commuted to watching a movie for one

and listening to the stereo for the other

Guess that wouldn't be me then because I certainly don't take what others say with out question. Nor do I expect others to. And I did make up my mind, I said she should be released. Nothing wishy washy about that, unless you assume any thinking outside the main issue is a waste of time.

now now guys, let's all just get along

Let's sit down and ask Hillary what she thinks Bill would do?

ADJ - what is this licky you speak of

i guess it means if they kiss and make up it will commute the sentence

see even typos can work into the humor of it all

Yes the families of criminal's suffer too, crime and criminals do not exist in a vacuum, they affect the whole of society.
If you wish to demonstrate compassion to the family of Susan Atkins, do for her family what you would to for any other person that you have no connection with.
What compassion have you shown to the family of complete strangers?

I DID say it. You just took it to mean whatever you wanted it to. In Scripture it says "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy". Most people don't have to ask a gazillion times what that means. It's pretty clear cut, as was I. What I believe is exactly what I said. This topic has worn me OUT when it never even needed to.