Even if I believed in the death penalty, in the U.S. the administration of justice has been shown to be unfair and I could not support it.  But the loud protest following the recent commutation of death sentences makes me wonder who we are as a country.  Hence the following email to CNN's "Talk Back Live" show on the subject.

----- Original Message -----

Are we a Christian country?  Isn't there a commandment: "Thou shall not kill"?  Doesn't this commandment apply to Christian fundamentalist?  With this constant howling for death via a known biased death penalty, how are we any different from Islamic fundamentalist?  We are less bloodthirsty only by the slightly fewer number of crimes that bring a death penalty.

Ken

New York

Added 5/22/03 JET magazine article Blacks Much More Likely To Face Death Penalty, Study Says

The situation on Affirmative Action for college admission is straight forward.  When the schools in Black and Latino ghettos can train their students to the same level of scholastic competence as schools in White communities, Affirmative Action for college entrance will not be necessary.  The playing field will be level.  Until then Affirmative Action for college admission is required.  Opposition to this Affirmative Action should be focused on  improving primary and secondary education in Black and Latino communities, thereby rendering Affirmative Action unnecessary.

DETAILS:

1. The problems are many and large.  We have under-funded schools, over-crowded classes, the least motivated teachers (low salaries, poor working conditions, security, etc.), least motivated students, few computers, not enough books and supplies.  Those are just a few of the problems preventing Black and Latino (and poor White) students from being prepared to compete for college entrance with White students from schools without these problems. 

2. Then there are other problems.  Even the best of schools have lowered expectations for Black and Latino students as a result of media stereotypes, racial stereotypes, direct and indirect racism.  If I had listened to counselors, I would never have become a Physicist.  First I had to overcome the effects of these stereotypes on myself.  Being an obnoxiously cocky, very smart, boy who was a grade ahead, I was able to maintain self-esteem.  I was the only Black in a Catholic school.  I had to constantly fight against everyone else who has been brainwashed in the racist stereotypes.  The pious Alter boys used to gang up to beat me up everyday.  Dealing with hate everyday without becoming one who hates is extremely difficult.  Many of my Black friends succumbed to the self-destructive force of hating and did not make it.  I always remembered that it was White people passing by who saved me from the White Alter boy gangs.