Goodbye Tookie

Tookie Williams was killed today. He was murdered by the state of California, after having been denied clemency by the governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Although I am not surprised, I am greatly saddened by his death. If ever a person deserved clemency and recognition of personal transformation and redemption, it was Tookie.

Although he was responsible for helping found the Crips, he was also nominated multiple times for the Nobel Peace Prize and wrote nine children's books about the importance of staying out of gangs. In speaking with some friends today, I realized that people given clemency are usually given pardon because of some problem with the system - not solely because of redemptive acts committed after their incarceration or because of personal transformation.

Although I realize his case was complicated and high-profile, I cannot help but believe that his peace work should have been recognized and given consideration. Perhaps it was, but Schwarzenegger's comment leads me to believe that it wasn't really considered. So what does someone have to do? I mean if being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize isn't enough, why should anyone ever bother to try and redeem themselves?

And Tookie probably wouldn't have been granted clemency even if he'd met Schwarzenegger's criteria. If he'd admitted he killed those people, he *surely* wouldn't have been given a reprieve. Goodbye Tookie - your light and your message will be remembered.

Narnia through different eyes

I just came home from seeing "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" and there are so many thoughts and feelings rolling around that I can't sleep yet. It was rather odd to have this story up on a screen in front of me. I first read the book probably 25 years ago and have read it (and the others in the series) innumerable times since then. I love those stories and could listen to stories of Narnia forever.

So what did I find so strange? Three things in general:

• Seeing what had previously only been in my imagination in vivid color and sound
• Experiencing the story for the first time knowing its Christian-based mythology
• Critically examining the cultural norms and ideology that are reinforced within the story

There are many wonderful things about this movie and I'm glad it was made. Two details in particular that I found distressing are that the "Big Bad" is a woman and that war is (ultimately) not only sanitized and glorified but completely justified. With regard to the war, the story itself simplifies conflict - turns it into a clear-cut, dualistic "right and wrong."

"But why is that a bad thing?" Because conflict, especially violent conflicts, are NEVER that simple. It's never a case of "here are some demons that deserve to be killed." NEVER. The truth is usually complicated and violence is always messy. There's never someone around with a magic potion to cure the most grievous wounds, or a magic being who can breath life back into those who are thought lost.

I know it's just a story, only a movie, but where do you think we learn our values from? Where do you think people get many of their cultural norms and beliefs? Through consuming media and media includes movies. It's not the only place we learn but it's certainly a major place and it's definitely where what we learn is often heavily reinforced.

More tomorrow.