When They Reminisce Over You

When They Reminisce Over You

They probably should’ve said Thou shall not kill…except for food, water, enemies and anybody with oil

“Shades of Grey” – Jaiden the Cure

Troy Davis was put to death before the first commercial break on your nightly news and with his last breath went a sigh of relief and collective sobs of grief. Two families were forced to relive a terrible ordeal and people around the world sprang into action in the face of a perceived injustice. Whatever the facts of the case are, before and after recants, two men are dead now and you’ll go back to life as usual tomorrow. The truth is, Troy Davis was dead before he was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to death. The appeals over the last 17 years and vigor in which advocates took the case could do nothing to change the fate sealed when he turned himself in so many years ago.

I didn’t sit in the jury box, nor did I pour myself into the countless articles over the past few weeks or the trending topics on Twitter, Facebook or wherever else outraged people convene. Additionally, my feelings on the death penalty are just that, my feelings. However, I understand the heart of the matter and the hearts of those that had been fighting for anyone to at least listen to the facts of 2011.

The awareness level surrounding this case over the last few weeks was extremely high and likely caused the Supreme Court to use a set of fresh eyes on the information at hand, but it wasn’t enough to seize the inevitable. In anger, people lashed out and compared this case to others across the country, wondered why certain serial killers were still alive, but this man had to die when there was so much doubt?

This is America; land of the free and due process, a country that spends $41 billion a month for a war a thousand miles from our borders, but educating its children is always up for budget cuts. What exactly do you expect? For all of the blind justice, this is the place I’ll live and most likely die, I don’t want to be anywhere else. Where else could a nation of people rise up and rally in the face of all with authority on behalf of a man convicted of killing a peace officer. I don’t salute the flag or rise for the anthem, but I’m thankful for the framework of justice I live within, even though I don’t seem to be in its best interest on many of day. Yeah, it’s a contradiction, but we’re living in a world of contradiction, but who’s counting and where will they be when they reminisce over you?