Legislators OK death for some pedophiles
AUSTIN ‚Äö√Ñ√Æ Individuals found guilty twice under a new criminal offense called “ongoing sexual abuse” of children could get the death penalty under a bill tentatively approved Monday by the Texas House. The bill, passing 118-23, targets pedophiles abusing children over an extended period with the death penalty or life without parole, a narrower use of capital punishment than a measure the House withdrew last week amid concerns about its constitutionality.
I grew up being taught that there’s simply no right way to do the wrong thing. It’s just too bad that Texas’ Republican legislators didn’t get the memo. Or perhaps in the interest of intellectual honesty, we should call this the “Panderer’s Anonymous”. Really, isn’t that what we’re talking about here? Republicans pandering to the fears of Texans, and providing themselves with yet more ammunition to bludgeon Democrats with during the next election cycle?
WHO’S PROTECTING TEXAS’ CHILDREN AGAINST MONSTROUS, EVIL SEXUAL PREDATORS, THOSE VILE PERVERTS WHO WOULD USE OUR PRECIOUS, INNOCENT CHILDREN FOR THEIR SICK, CRAVEN SEXUAL GRATIFICATION?? That’s right, y’all…it ain’t the Democrats, that’s fer damn certain.
Of course, there is the virtual certainty that this law will NEVER pass constitutional muster. Conventionally, the Supreme Court has generally required that those who are required to forfeit their life must have taken a life. Without this precedent, just think of the possibilities. Where would it all end? If we are to sanction the execution of sexual predators, how far down this slippery slope do we travel? How long before we’re executing embezzlers, car thieves, shoplifters, or jaywalkers? Sure, those are absurd examples, but there are those out there, some of whom are already in office, who would have no problem with enacting thise Western version of Sharia.
A first conviction under the new offense of “continual sexual abuse of a child or children” would carry a minimum 25-year penalty to life with parole, meaning the death penalty could not be used under the proposed law for at least a quarter century.
A second conviction would be a capital crime punishable by death or life without parole.
The proposed law would apply to indecency with a child by contact, sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault of a child, sexual performance by a child and kidnapping or burglary if either was committed with the intent to sexually abuse a child.
“This law gives more tools in a prosecutor’s toolbox to allow them to go after the true pedophiles in our society,” said Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown, sponsor of the measure.
I’m all for giving prosecutors more legal tools with which to go after and prosecute sexual predators, but how about using some common sense while we’re at it? You’d think we’d have learned by now that laws passed in the heat of righteous indignation rarely turn out well…and that’s before we start considering that whole “Law of Unintended Consequences” thing.
If we’re going to enact a law, why is taxpayer money being wasted on a piece of legislation that will NEVER pass constitutional muster? I’m not an attorney (nor do I play one on television), but not even I’m arrogant enough to think that this sort of crap will survive a day in an appeals court.
WE DESERVE BETTER…but you can bet this will sure play well for Republicans during next year’s legislative elections. And isn’t that what this is really all about??
Coming soon to a campaign commercial near you:
WHO’S PROTECTING TEXAS’ CHILDREN AGAINST MONSTROUS, EVIL SEXUAL PREDATORS, THOSE VILE PERVERTS WHO WOULD USE OUR PRECIOUS, INNOCENT CHILDREN FOR THEIR SICK, CRAVEN SEXUAL GRATIFICATION?? That’s right, y’all…it ain’t the Democrats, that’s fer damn certain.
Whatever….
