Somebody screwed up.
On November 29th, 2009 an Arkansas parolee with a long criminal history walked into a coffee shop near Lakewood, Washington, pulled a gun, and killed four police officers.
Dead are officers Mark Renninger (39 years), Tina Griswold (40 years), Ron Owens (37 years), and Greg Richards (42 years). The Police chief said that “They were good people. They were great cops, [and] they will truly be missed.” Why did they die?
Somebody screwed up.
They also had families – spouses and children. This woman is now a widow, and the little boy in her arms is without a dad. He no longer has a father who will teach him to work, learn, love, play, and to be a man. Why has this family been devastated?
On November 29th, 2009 an Arkansas parolee with a long criminal history walked into a coffee shop near Lakewood, Washington, pulled a gun, and killed four police officers.
Dead are officers Mark Renninger (39 years), Tina Griswold (40 years), Ron Owens (37 years), and Greg Richards (42 years). The Police chief said that “They were good people. They were great cops, [and] they will truly be missed.” Why did they die?
Somebody screwed up.
They also had families – spouses and children. This woman is now a widow, and the little boy in her arms is without a dad. He no longer has a father who will teach him to work, learn, love, play, and to be a man. Why has this family been devastated?
Somebody screwed up.
The murderer, Maurice Clemmons, should never have been on the street. In 1989 when he was 17 years old, Clemmons was convicted in Little Rock for aggravated robbery and other charges. He was sentenced to 108 years. While in prison, he broke prison rules more than 24 times – sometimes violently. Shortly after being paroled in 2000, he was convicted of robbery in Ouachita County in 2001. He was paroled again in 2004. He should have been in prison.
Who screwed up?
In my opinion, Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, is largely to blame. Huckabee commuted Clemmons’ sentence in 2000. County Prosecutor Larry Jegley opposed Clemmons' parole in 2000 and 2004, but pressure from Huckabee won Clemmons’ release. Said Jegley: “[If Clemmons] had stayed locked up like the jury wanted him, we wouldn't even be having this discussion."
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/01/huckabees-clemmons-pardon_n_375020.html).
It appears that Huckabee has demonstrated poor judgment when offering clemency. Huckabee pardoned or reduced sentences for 1033 convicted criminals during his 10.5 years as governor of Arkansas - that is 2 times more pardons and sentence reductions granted by all three previous governors combined (Bill Clinton, Frank White and Jim Guy Tucker) over a 17.5 year period! In one famous case, Huckabee commuted the sentence of Wayne DuMond, a man arrested for murder in 1972, sexual assault in 1973, rape in 1976, and rape in 1984. In the late 1990s, Huckabee commuted DuMond’s prison sentence and DuMond was released in 1999. Two years later he raped and killed Sarah Andrasek who was pregnant.
Prosecutors in Arkansas claim that Huckabee “was more inclined to release or reduce the sentences of prisoners if he had direct contact with them or was lobbied by those close to him.” Furthermore, convicts like Clemmons who appealed to Huckabee's Christian sensitivities were more likely to be released. It appears that convicts who demonstrated a “change of heart” and involvement with religious ministers in prison won sympathy from Huckabee, even if their crimes were violent.
(http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/joe_conason/2009/11/30/mike_huckabee/index.html).
Why did Huckabee screw up?
It may be that Huckabee, a southern Baptist minister, screwed up because he does not understand Christian forgiveness. Forgiveness is a spiritual phenomenon, not a behavioral phenomenon. Forgiveness is sincerely letting go of the animosity and anger. It is a willingness to accept the offender as a child of God, as someone who is loved by the Creator. Notice that there is no action or doing in this definition of forgiveness. The actions and behaviors that ensue from forgiveness are not forgiveness in and of themselves; they are the byproducts of forgiveness that may or may not arise.
My guess is that Huckabee thinks that forgiveness is defined by action. He probably thinks that forgiveness is releasing and making free again, before the price of sin is paid. If he does, he is wrong. It is possible to forgive while demanding justice. This is how God works. He is merciful and extends forgiveness to all of us, yet His mercy and forgiveness always satisfy the demands of justice. In other words, a price is paid for every sin. There is no free lunch in heaven and mercy is not allowed to rob justice.
In a manner of speaking, Huckabee has offered free lunches (prison releases) without satisfying the demands of justice (requiring convicts to pay their debts to society). Perhaps he fails to realize that it is possible to forgive while, at the same time, keeping dangerous criminals off the streets until their debt to society is paid in full.
I may be wrong about Huckabee's understanding of forgiveness and mercy - I hope I am. Whatever the case may be, releasing violent criminals like Clemmons was wrong.
The murderer, Maurice Clemmons, should never have been on the street. In 1989 when he was 17 years old, Clemmons was convicted in Little Rock for aggravated robbery and other charges. He was sentenced to 108 years. While in prison, he broke prison rules more than 24 times – sometimes violently. Shortly after being paroled in 2000, he was convicted of robbery in Ouachita County in 2001. He was paroled again in 2004. He should have been in prison.
Who screwed up?
In my opinion, Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, is largely to blame. Huckabee commuted Clemmons’ sentence in 2000. County Prosecutor Larry Jegley opposed Clemmons' parole in 2000 and 2004, but pressure from Huckabee won Clemmons’ release. Said Jegley: “[If Clemmons] had stayed locked up like the jury wanted him, we wouldn't even be having this discussion."
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/01/huckabees-clemmons-pardon_n_375020.html).
It appears that Huckabee has demonstrated poor judgment when offering clemency. Huckabee pardoned or reduced sentences for 1033 convicted criminals during his 10.5 years as governor of Arkansas - that is 2 times more pardons and sentence reductions granted by all three previous governors combined (Bill Clinton, Frank White and Jim Guy Tucker) over a 17.5 year period! In one famous case, Huckabee commuted the sentence of Wayne DuMond, a man arrested for murder in 1972, sexual assault in 1973, rape in 1976, and rape in 1984. In the late 1990s, Huckabee commuted DuMond’s prison sentence and DuMond was released in 1999. Two years later he raped and killed Sarah Andrasek who was pregnant.
Prosecutors in Arkansas claim that Huckabee “was more inclined to release or reduce the sentences of prisoners if he had direct contact with them or was lobbied by those close to him.” Furthermore, convicts like Clemmons who appealed to Huckabee's Christian sensitivities were more likely to be released. It appears that convicts who demonstrated a “change of heart” and involvement with religious ministers in prison won sympathy from Huckabee, even if their crimes were violent.
(http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/joe_conason/2009/11/30/mike_huckabee/index.html).
Why did Huckabee screw up?
It may be that Huckabee, a southern Baptist minister, screwed up because he does not understand Christian forgiveness. Forgiveness is a spiritual phenomenon, not a behavioral phenomenon. Forgiveness is sincerely letting go of the animosity and anger. It is a willingness to accept the offender as a child of God, as someone who is loved by the Creator. Notice that there is no action or doing in this definition of forgiveness. The actions and behaviors that ensue from forgiveness are not forgiveness in and of themselves; they are the byproducts of forgiveness that may or may not arise.
My guess is that Huckabee thinks that forgiveness is defined by action. He probably thinks that forgiveness is releasing and making free again, before the price of sin is paid. If he does, he is wrong. It is possible to forgive while demanding justice. This is how God works. He is merciful and extends forgiveness to all of us, yet His mercy and forgiveness always satisfy the demands of justice. In other words, a price is paid for every sin. There is no free lunch in heaven and mercy is not allowed to rob justice.
In a manner of speaking, Huckabee has offered free lunches (prison releases) without satisfying the demands of justice (requiring convicts to pay their debts to society). Perhaps he fails to realize that it is possible to forgive while, at the same time, keeping dangerous criminals off the streets until their debt to society is paid in full.
I may be wrong about Huckabee's understanding of forgiveness and mercy - I hope I am. Whatever the case may be, releasing violent criminals like Clemmons was wrong.
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