We’re about to go into another news cycle of debate about the death penalty, in light of recent news. It won’t be fun.

Let me be clear; there are certain crimes that generate a reflexive, almost instinctive reaction. At least that’s how they feel to me, and looking at others, I expect that’s a fair description. Crimes that seem to demand the death of the perpetrator. Sometimes they may seem to demand the torture of the perpetrator. Or maybe (and I’m not trying to be funny – I’m dead serious), a death by slow torture. And by slow, I may mean over as long a period as possible. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel that sometimes, and frankly, I don’t quite trust anybody who would suggest they didn’t.

But we are not children. There are a lot of things we want, and many of those wants are just as primal and visceral as the above desire for painful retribution. Somebody pushes us, we want to punch them. Somebody torments our kid, we want to beat the crap out of them.

But we don’t. It’s not easy, but we don’t. It’s because we decided a long time ago, when our heads were clearer, that its wrong. Immoral. And morality, when done right – by which I mean when it’s not the nakedly self-serving, situationally-convenient morality of most right-wingers and so-called conservative Christians (the kind that tells you not to sweat it, all your impulses and biases actually just happen to line up with those of your lord & savior…. what a happy conicidence!) – is not easy. Morality is not supposed to be easy, or casual. Sometimes, sure, but when it comes to matters of intense, unreasoning passion, morality is a gauntlet.

But it’s a gauntlet that keeps us from being part of the problems in the world instead of part of the solutions.

I suspect most people in this online community understand the innate immorality of capital punishment. We may all have that moral understanding put into a vise in the coming weeks and months as the debate gets rolling (and gets angrier). But character isn’t defined by whether or not you take the moral stance when things are easy. Anybody can do that.

Moral character is a test of strength. You don’t really know the strength of that character until its put under pressure. Until then, it may just be a lot of fluffy sounding talk. And there’s plenty of that in the world already.

A special heads-up to fellow GMDers on recent developments in the race for Lieutenant Governor:  a primary is upon us, and I have no intention of backing down.  See the press release below the fold, and don't forget to visit www.NateFreeman.com for the latest.

Best, 

Nate Freeman

Northfield, VT 

natefreeman@gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (July 6, 2008)

CONTACT: Nate Freeman, 802-485-4428

FREEMAN WELCOMES PRIMARY

Describes race as Ordinary Vermonters vs. Montpelier politics-as-usual.

NORTHFIELD — Nate Freeman, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, said Saturday morning that he welcomes a primary against Rutland attorney Tom Costello.

“I look forward to a vigorous primary as our Vermont grassroots campaign challenges Montpelier politics-as-usual,” Freeman said.

Asked about attorney Costello, Freeman said, “Officials from the Vermont Democratic Party asked me last week to wait for Tom's final decision. My response was that an established politician could have little credibility coming to this campaign so late in the campaign season. Established politicians such as Mr. Costello should have been making their announcements last November instead of 'inching closer to a decision' on the 4^th of July. Vermont can't afford to wait for the last minute to address our critical issues, and we should be skeptical of established politicians who wait until the last minute to something as serious as a statewide campaign.”

Mr. Costello has strong support from Senate president pro tem, Peter Shumlin. This fact does not appear to deter Freeman.

“In my opinion, Peter Shumlin is once again throwing a colleague under the bus as he maneuvers and manipulates Vermonters toward his own political goals. Politics-as-usual in Montpelier needs to take a back seat to Vermonters' need for change. Vermont can't afford to wait another two years for real change in the executive branch.”

Nate Freeman is the owner of Freeman's Upholstery Shop in Northfield and Green Mountain Kitty Litter. He is a member of the Northfield School Board and a member of the transportation advisory committee for the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission.

Mr. Freeman is also a published author who in 1999 received a Vermont Arts Council grant as an art producer/presenter.

—

For information on the Freeman campaign, see www.natefreeman.com or call 802-485-4428.

# # #

Here are some photos I took at last night’s 4th of July festivities in Saxton’s River, VT (full set of ten photos here).  Clicking on the photos gets you to larger versions:

How was everyone’s 4th?  Ours was relatively mellow.  No major celebration stuff; just a mostly good lazy day.

A newspaper article heavily quoting a man that witnessed the Douglas Pie in the face Incident appears today .What if the pie had been loaded ? A man who worked for James Jeffords (it doesn’t mention what capacity )in Washington is traumatized . He maintains that “clearly the situation could have been life threatening” Later he goes on to say that Santa would the one to be dead !  The man on receiving end of the pie felt fine about attending several more parades .I believe 18 was the total number  .

A  Middlesex man , who worked for former U.S. Sen. James Jeffords from 1996-2002, witnessed the parade incident and chased down the(alleged?) pie-thrower with the help of two others, including Barre Mayor Thomas Lauzon.

“The seriousness of this I don’t think can be overstated,” he said in an interview. “We certainly live in a time when what might previously have been seen as a prank could have turned into a tragedy. He was able to put a pie in the governor’s face; that could have easily been life-threatening.”

“Obviously the governor was quite startled and upset,” Harrington said. “It went from a very congenial situation – the downtown atmosphere was one of happiness, neighborliness and joy. Then this intrusion of an individual whose motives are inexplicable to me, but clearly the circumstances could have been life-threatening.”

“I know from having been with Sen. Jeffords staff during 9/11, I frankly think if this young man had tried to do this type of thing in Washington D.C., he might be dead right now,” Harrington said.

      Doesn’t this speak more to what is wrong in Washington ?

Denise Casey said the incident has not changed the way Douglas, she or other staffers feel about public appearances. She said she’s not watching the crowd, wondering is if someone on the sidelines has a pie poised to toss.

She said Douglas was comfortable with the way the incident was handled.

http://www.timesargus.com/apps…