Sure kicks the feet out from underneath anyone who wants to talk about a person like that as crazy, or irrational, or cowardly, or what have you. Perfectly rational, perfectly sure of themselves, willing to suffer for the cause, no ambiguities left to mess things up. Only one question left, really, and that's, "Is he representative or typical?" Much depends on the answer.
In light of Timothy Burke's recent cross-blog discussion with Caleb McDaniel, it's interesting to note that in this case, rather than argue that the act of murder has placed the murderer outside the bounds of civil society, thereby removing him from the protections of due process, the Dutch government is upholding due process in order "to literally place him outside of our democracy."
In addition to a life sentence, the prosecution also demanded that Bouyeri be stripped of his right to vote or stand for election for the rest of his life, "to literally place him outside of our democracy".
Um... can convicted murderers normally vote? Or is there something I'm missing here?
Swell.
Sure kicks the feet out from underneath anyone who wants to talk about a person like that as crazy, or irrational, or cowardly, or what have you. Perfectly rational, perfectly sure of themselves, willing to suffer for the cause, no ambiguities left to mess things up. Only one question left, really, and that's, "Is he representative or typical?" Much depends on the answer.
Posted by Timothy Burke | Link to this comment | 07-12-05 5:35 PM
Nah, not only isn't that question important, but it's easily answerable by a description of a video clip of an ambiguous incident.
Posted by washerdreyer | Link to this comment | 07-12-05 7:01 PM
"I acted purely in the name of my religion"
Posted by Joe O | Link to this comment | 07-12-05 10:54 PM
In light of Timothy Burke's recent cross-blog discussion with Caleb McDaniel, it's interesting to note that in this case, rather than argue that the act of murder has placed the murderer outside the bounds of civil society, thereby removing him from the protections of due process, the Dutch government is upholding due process in order "to literally place him outside of our democracy."
Posted by eb | Link to this comment | 07-12-05 11:09 PM
Yeah, that caught my eye too.
Posted by Timothy Burke | Link to this comment | 07-13-05 5:38 AM
Me too. Though, god help us, it made me think, "how quaint."
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07-13-05 7:14 AM
In addition to a life sentence, the prosecution also demanded that Bouyeri be stripped of his right to vote or stand for election for the rest of his life, "to literally place him outside of our democracy".
Um... can convicted murderers normally vote? Or is there something I'm missing here?
Posted by Cala | Link to this comment | 07-13-05 7:28 AM