Crazy? Yup.

Something has been bothering me for awhile. It's resurfaced since the Aurora theater shooting trial started. I am angry. I know he is supposed to get his due process. He was caught red handed. He admitted what he did. He admitted to setting up explosives at his apartment to create a diversion. Oh wait, but he's crazy! Please, we can't possibly incarcerate a crazy person that attempted to kill a boatload of people. WHAT??? Why? Fuck him. He knew what he was doing. Why does crazy get him off? What sane person would do that? I am sorry, when you are a danger to the rest of the inhabitants of this planet you deserve to be locked away from them. You shot a 6 year old girl four times. Killing her, paralyzed her mother and caused her to have a miscarriage. Not only did you murder her children you prevented her from having any more. You shot a budding stand up comedian in the eye. Two days before his first child was born. You silenced him. He can no longer talk and is wheel chair bound. You don't deserve crazy. What did you leave them with?

I have a hard time with the death penalty. This is a moral struggle I've had for years. When I got the jury summons at first I was excited, hoping to be chosen. Then it sank in. I do not want to be on that jury (I was not required to appear). Someone else's life in my hands. In the eyes of the law he is deserving of the death penalty. I cannot take another human life. The struggle I have is how can you say you are different than him and then sentence him to die? Because you're acting within the law? Laws change. Morality is forever.

Back to my rant... All of us can agree that no sane person is capable of what he did. Insanity sounds like a cop out. If he was mentally retarded, with an IQ of 50, I can understand not knowing right from wrong. If they are dangerous lock them up.

Another one that just made me heart sick was the girls in Florida that tortured and killed a gopher tortoise. The adult of the two is not competent to stand trial. WTF? She was competent enough to film what they did and post it online! Competency should not be an issue. She knew what she did and was proud of it. Answer for it.

"So when the preacher comes to get me
And they shave off all my hair
Could you take that long walk with me
Knowing hell is waitin' there
Could you pull that switch yourself sir
With a sure and steady hand
Could you still tell youself
That you're better than I am"

-Steve Earle

People Suck

Otherwise known as "Why I Don't Want to be on this Planet Anymore." People take others dreams and smash them. There is no respect for life. Not just human life. What gives you the right to just destroy something. Break it's spirit. Tear it down. Kill it. Throw away a living plant because the flowers wilted. Cut down a tree because it's leaning the wrong way. That snide comment you made to your loved one just drove a wedge deeper, widening the crevice into a chasm.  Ignore your dog because it's not a puppy anymore. Beat a strangers dog to death. Shoot your neighbors cat with an arrow.

Life is precious.

Whether it's yours or the bird on your porch. I have empathy. Too much empathy. I don't get not living in harmony with the world around us. I feel all of it. Everyday. Selfishness. Narcissism. I. Am. All. There. Is. No one knows that is the wrong attitude. Your actions effect others. Listen to yourself less and the world around you more. Honoring something else's life and feelings takes nothing away from you. You may even gain. Be in the world, not on it. Did you know that squirrels peel grapes? You never took the time to watch one. You have a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. You stare at it most of the day. Read. LEARN. Find out about the other beings you share this planet with. Convenience and no consciousness. Rights and no responsibility.
 
"There's an ancient oak standing alone
Trying to do the work of a thousand trees
Been here since the Cherokee called this home
But it's standing in the way of a factory"

-Chris Knight

"One hand
Reaches out
And pulls a lost soul from harm
While a thousand more go unspoken for
They say what good have you done
By saving just this one
It's like whispering a prayer
In the fury of a storm

And I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world will know
That it will not change me"

-Garth Brooks

"Keep your heart above your head and  your eyes wide open
So this world can't find a way to leave you cold
And know you're not the only ship out on the ocean
Save your strength for things that you can change
Forgive the ones you can't
You gotta let 'em go"

-Zac Brown