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A call for calm and mercy: no death penalty for the January 6 coup

Submitted by cvining on

I wish to join the call for calm. To those who feel insurrection is treason, punishable by death, I council calm and mercy. We are bigger than those insurgents of January 6, 2021 who sought to topple our government, our constitution, our core belief in rule by law.

Ten years in prison, as called for in the US code (below) for rebellion and insurrection. Fine them, bar them from ever holding office. The death penalty for treason? I understand, but in the name of calm and unity, let's be merciful. Throw them in prison and we'll move on.
 
Many other laws were broken too, but these are the ones that threaten the core of our nation. And I don't give a damn why they did it. When they stormed the Capitol, they threw any possible merit to their perceived grievances out the freaking window.
 
If you, dear reader, dear friend, disagree. If you feel any sympathy for the insurrectionists, I'll try to listen to you, hear you out, publicly or privately. Don't expect to change my mind, as I don't expect to change yours. But I will listen. Even as I cheer on efforts to hunt down and hold accountable every single  participant. 
 
 
For reference, here are selected Sections from the US Code 

Commentary: 

Revolution Redux (mangled from the awesome original by Lenon and McCartney)

Submitted by cvining on

Revolution Redux
(mangled from the awesome original by Lenon and McCartney)
 
You say you won the revolution
Well, you know
We all want to see the votes
You tell me that it's mass collusion
Well, you know
We all want to see the votes
 
But when you talk about voter fraud
Don't you know the courts have thrown you out
Don't you know it's gonna be
All right, all right, all right
 
You say you got an affidavit 
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the facts
You warn about a retribution 
Well, you know
We'll stop you if we can
 
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be
All right, all right, all right
 
You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free you mind instead
 
But if you go carrying torches for Donald Trump
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right

Commentary: 

Antigonish

Submitted by cvining on

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today,
I wish, I wish he'd go away...

When I came home last night at three,
The man was waiting there for me
But when I looked around the hall,
I couldn't see him there at all!
Go away, go away, don't you come back any more!
Go away, go away, and please don't slam the door...

Last night I saw upon the stair,
A little man who wasn't there,
He wasn't there again today
Oh, how I wish he'd go away...

-- William Hughes Mearns 1899

Commentary: 

I had a dream

Submitted by cvining on

I dreamt I was in a reception line at a formal event. At the head of the line was the President of the United States, shaking hands one by one.

He took my hand firmly as I stepped forward for my turn. I leaned slightly toward him and said "We have something in common, you and I."

"Really? What's that?"

I let his strong grip pull me closer, and spoke in a hushed tone so only he could hear: "Neither of us belongs here."

Commentary: 

Jack and Jill

Submitted by cvining on

Jack and Jill
Went up the Hill
To beg for something safer
Jack fell down
Blood all around
And Jill died crawling after

Up Jack got
He, badly shot,
Remembered in the paper
Empty stares
Thoughts and prayers
We mourn the dead tenth grader

They call B.S.
Children address
This homegrown bloody terror
Endured in school
Just so you'll
From tyrants slightly safer

Stop the guns
The deadly ones
That leave our children slaughtered
The tyranny
You fear is thee
Killing our sons and daughters


Stop killing our sons and daughters.
Stop. Killing. Our. Sons and Daughters.

(Placed in public domain. No rights reserved.) 

Commentary: 

Green, Brown, or Tan

Submitted by cvining on

I am Sam.
Uncle Sam.
That Sam I Am.
That Uncle Sam.
I do not like that White House man.

Do you like green, brown, or tan?

I do not like them, Uncle Sam.
I do not like green, brown, or tan.

Would you like them here or there?

I would not like them here or there.
I would not like them anywhere.
I do not like green, brown or tan.
I just don't like them, Uncle Sam.

Would you like them were they housed?
Would you like them thrice deloused?

I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them thrice deloused.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I do not like green, brown, or tan.
I do not like them, Uncle Sam.

Would you loan them a small box?
Would you feed them bagels? Lox?

Not in a box.
Not even lox.
Not in a house.
Not thrice deloused.
I would not feed them here or there.
I would not feed them anywhere.
I would not help green, brown, or tan.
I would not help
Any man.

 

CC-Zero​This work has been dedicated to the public domain by waiving all rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. For further details see:

https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0

Commentary: 

‘The Senator Be Embezzling’

Submitted by cvining on

A fascinating tale of a state Senator's experience in prison after conviction for obstruction of justice related to violation of federal campaign laws. He's smart, educated and white, thrown into federal prison, full of men exactly unlike him. It's a kind of expose of prison life in the US and well worth the read.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/09/mag-prison-smith-213098

Commentary: 

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