More stuff I found in my email- I'm a bit of two minds on Tookie- he was kind of a bastard, what with killing four people, and starting a gang, but the death penalty is wrong, and even the worst person we have shouldn't get it, because of the many innocents that get caught in our net, and not to mention, the Tookie Williams of our future aren't going to stop their crimes because of it. This post expresses how I feel much better than I could express it. But on to the letter:

Dear ColorOfChange.org Member,
Last night, as I stood outside the gates of San Quentin, I tried to think of what good could come from the killing that was happening inside. I couldn't think of anything. Several times I read Gov. Schwarzenegger's statement explaining why he denied clemency to Williams, looking for a logical explanation that I could accept, even if I didn't agree with it. I couldn't find that either.

Gov. Schwarzenegger missed an opportunity, and we suffered a loss. Schwarzenegger chose to follow a line of logic that was simple and flawed, refusing to acknowledge the benefit of Williams' work and going through pains to explicitly deny it. He dismissed the fact that the black community, which has borne the brunt of the effects of gang violence, largely stood in support of Williams. More troubling, Schwarzenegger cited Williams' celebration of Angela Davis, Malcolm X, and Mumia Abu-Jamal, among others--folks who many of us regard as heroes--as evidence that he hasn't truly shunned violence. Schwarzenegger doesn't realize that these folks are our heroes--strong voices who have followed their convictions, took amazing personal risks, and who above all have worked in service of social justice and a better society. Mr. Williams became one of those people, too.

Not a single life destroyed because of gangs or Mr. Williams will be brought back--not the victims of the crimes for Mr. Williams was accused and convicted, not the gang members whose lives have been destroyed because of the choices they made. And we, as a community that is attempting to take care of itself, lost a powerful voice.

To the 3,710 ColorOfChange.org members who claimed ownership of Tookie Williams and his legacy, who engaged the complexity of the situation and stood up and made your voices heard, thank you. This is what we all hope to do--become informed, engaged, and stand up. And to those who gave the issue consideration but could not sign on, thank you too, for engaging the issue.

Our thoughts go out to those for whom Williams sought deliverance and redemption and to all those needing peace--Tookie Williams, himself, the victims of those who suffered as a result of Williams' actions or other gang activity, Tookie Williams' family, those affected by systemic injustice, and all of us. As we continue without the presence of Tookie, let's hope that each of us will do what we can to increase justice and spread peace, wherever we find ourselves--our communities, our country, our world. No doubt, it's the way Tookie would want us to support his legacy.

Thank You and Peace,

-- James Rucker
ColorOfChange.org
December 13th, 2005