By: Haramia KiNassor
With the latest ruling by the Supreme Court to ban the execution of juveniles 17 and under, the anti-death penalty movement has gained a tremendous victory. I’m afraid however, that people will take this as a sign to relax, or that this means the death penalty has been made a more fair and secure process. In both instances, I must declare, nothing could be further from the truth. The anti-death penalty movement is reaching its climax of battle. Now, more than ever, is the time to intensify the struggle so that we can deliver the final coup de grace! The bottom line is you cannot fix a system by simply subtracting a part of it that’s broken. In that scenario you’ve just made it a smaller broken system. Without proper reconstruction the system remains broken. In the case of capital punishment we must relate it to a cancer. With cancer you do not reconstruct it, you pluck it out! That’s what must be done if we plan to save our social and judicial body.
For any that doubt, I would like to clarify why the Supreme Court made this ruling. They didn’t do it
out of kindness or dignity, they did it because of the pressure that was placed upon them. The Supreme Court acted because of the public’s outcry (and they admitted that). This is a prime example of what is meant by the power of the people. This victory is a testament of what can be done when people raise their voice against an injustice; no matter if those screaming are the minority, for a minority with courage IS a majority. Allow this to be a glimpse of how real democracy works. In a real democracy the people control the destiny of their lives. The American public has given up that control and placed it in the hands of unethical politicians. We’ve been bullied into thinking that we are powerless. When we are abused and we reject that, we are subjugated with police and political force. Though we can’t match their police force, we can match them intellectually and spiritually; and with the power of truth and morality on our sides we can make these bureaucratic roaches run back to the darkness from whence they came.
I had the opportunity to talk to one of the 29 juveniles that will be leaving death row. His name is Oswaldo Soriano, or aw we call him – Junior. Junior got to death row on May 6, 1994. I met him when we were on the work program in 1998 at Ellis One. From day one I recognized him as a fellow warrior and he has endured 12 years of this vicious process. I spoke to him about this victory. We discussed the 13 juveniles from here in Texas that didn’t get the chance to see this day. When I asked Junior how he felt about that and if he knew some of them he replied “I probably knew a handful. Keep in mind that I had the opportunity to live with some of those men. It’s a strange feeling of emptiness, but in the same token, they gave me strength and hope.” Since 1976, when the death penalty was reinstated, 22 juveniles have been executed in the U.S. Historically records say that the first juvenile offender executed was Thomas Graunger in 1642, from Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts. In the 360 years since that time, approximately 365 persons have been executed for crimes while being a juvenile. The youngest known juvenile was a Native American boy named James Arcene. He was 10!
I had the chance to catch some news sound bites on the radio when this verdict was handed down. Of course, the victims’ families were outraged and spoke with an intense amount of hate. Chuck Rosenthal, an over-zealous head prosecutor, gave a very contradictory statement. Rosenthal stated that he felt some of these guys would commit a murder in the future. It wasn’t specified if he meant in prison or if they ever paroled out. (note- capital murder offenders can qualify for parole after 40 years, but there is no guarantee that parole will be granted). Nevertheless, through his statement, you can tell that he was against the idea that some of thee guys might one day get paroled. However, several weeks earlier, Rosenthal was arguing AGAINST life without parole as an alternative to the death penalty, but it has been viciously resisted in Texas. Rosenthal claimed that by having life without parole, inmates may become more violent because they feel they have nothing to lose since they’ll never be released. So, which is it Rosenthal? You can’t have it both ways. But, this is how they play word games with the public. These infidels will never be happy with anything except being belligerents.
In regards to how he’s changed since he was 17, Junior expressed “I guess you can say I learned one of the most important things: ‘Love thy neighbor as yourself.’ Learning is the true meaning of life when we embrace and keep hold to it as we journey in the presence of one another.” Junior gave a heart-felt expression of what he’d be doing with the rest of his life. “I spend my time consoling youths through letters and chat rooms. I try to make them imagine if they were in a place like this. And this is something I’ve never done….I realize it has taken this place for me to break the bondage of evil and slavery that has kept me chained up for years. It’s a journey I may never comprehend, but it has given me a new meaning in life.” I couldn’t agree more. Junior, as many others that are unseen here, has truly rehabilitated himself in mind, body and soul. The ultimate evil would be not letting his love and lessons shine to others who are walking in his shoes. In all honesty, who are troubled youth going to be more willing to listen to – him or some bourgeoisie politician? Junior and I both agreed that we need people to stay focused and determined to keep the fight alive. I ask that all of you reading this to keep the pressure going. Consistently bombard the system. There are still numerous fallacies with the capital punishment regime. The 118 innocent men that have been freed, plus the countless of others whose sentences were reduced, testify to that. We have to take grasp of our future. As Junior quoted to me – “Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for. It is a thing to be achieved.” Aluta Continue (The Struggle Continues)!