Newsworthy day
There has been a lot of news coverage and opinions by pundits and bloggers recently regarding Zacarias Moussaoui, the wanna-be martyr and wana-be participant of 9-11. Found guilty, he is destined to rot in a super-maximum security prison until he dies. Many are of the opinion that he should have been put to death. The jury diasagreed and instead sentenced him to die in prison. While I wouldn't shed a tear over him being given the death penalty, I think it was a good decision for the jury to make primarily for two reasons.
One, robbing him of the martyrdom that he so desired and letting him sit day after day and year after year comtemplating his failure is better than handing him his spiritual victory.
And two, this shows America is better than those who continue to follow in his footsteps by not killing for the sake of killing. Values, law, and tolerance mean something and can be an example shown to the rest of the world.
Solitary confinement without any contact with the outside world has a way of making you be forgotten and therefore insignificant. Let's hope that is now his fate.
Also:
The New York Times had an ediotorial today about the use of "presidential signing statements" used by Bush on laws that come across his desk that he must put his signature on. However in his case I'm sure it is just a big "X." These are used instead of a veto and literally allow the president to assert his authority to not follow the law. WTF??? This was used on the recent legislation about torturing war prisoners and he basically said his administration was above the law.
Checking historical facts leads one to discover that he is the only president since Thomas Jefferson to not reject by veto a single act of congress.
It amazes me that his administration thinks it is above the law and that the cornerstones of our constitutional government, checks and balances, does not apply to them. This should scare people.