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N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in History

By Jeralyn, Section Death Penalty
Posted on Thu Dec 01, 2005 at 09:51:45 PM EST
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North Carolina Governor Mike Easley earned his footnote in history today. From now on he will be known as "Mike Easley, the North Carolina Governor who okayed the 1,000th execution in the United States since 1976 when the death penalty was reinstated by the Supreme Court."

Kenneth Lee Boyd will be executed in North Carolina at 2:00 am ET.

Maybe there should be a new license plate that reads, "North Carolina: Home of the 1,000th Execution."

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    • N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in History | 26 comments (26 topical)
    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:35 PM EST
    Ok, so I hate the death penalty too. I'm not disputing that, it doesn't make sense, financially or morally. I was born and raised in North Carolina and for the most part, I hate it here too (besides Boone and some fellow liberals). But 1,000 is just an arbitrary number, and it's the 1,000th person executed in the US, not just NC. Your dig (NC, home of the 1,000th execution) seems to implicate NC, while it's the entire country's fault that execution is legal in the first place. I appreciate and share your anger, I just think it's misdirected. It's after 2 and Kenneth has now passed. A moment of reverence and meditation is in order.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:35 PM EST
    The biggest irony about Kenneth Lee Boyd is of course the fact he was a Vietnam war veteran. Back then he probably got a medal for killing people. When he began to kill people on his own the state suddenly didn't like the competition in the killing business.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:35 PM EST
    According to NPR this morning, 97% of the world's executions take place in Iran, China, Vietnam and the U.S. If that comparison doesn't make one sick I'm not sure what can.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:35 PM EST
    Mar, It is not at all unusual to reserve to the state functions that are unlawful for individuals to perform. Raising an Army, etc. Check your constitution. On a side note, did Kenneth Lee get a prize for being number 1000? Maybe a set of steak knives or an eight week subscription to People or Sports Illustrated? Jimbo

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:35 PM EST
    Not to put too fine a point on it, but Easley will only be known in this way by those who obsess about the death penalty day and night. For the rest of us, he will continue to be a Governor we've barely even heard of, and after he's gone, most of us will be unlikely to ever see that footnote.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:35 PM EST
    On a side note, did Kenneth Lee get a prize for being number 1000? Maybe a set of steak knives or an eight week subscription to People or Sports Illustrated?
    Nah, but I'd wager that he's run into Nixon, Goldwater and definitely Reagan in hell by now.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:35 PM EST
    It is not at all unusual to reserve to the state functions that are unlawful for individuals to perform.
    Yes, that's exactly the irony. As a famous German dictator said; kill one person and it's called murder but kill millions and it's called History.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:35 PM EST
    Yeah, it'll be known as that to a handful of people who obsess about arbitrary numbers. No one else will remember, period.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#9)
    by roy on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:35 PM EST
    That footnote is rather cumbersome. How about "the governor who said it's not OK to repeatedly shoot your wife while your sons watch, one from underneath said wife, then shoot your wife's father." And then there's this line of reasoning:
    He made one mistake and now it's costing him his life
    Two murders, with seven (some guessing on my part) bullets, is one mistake?
    A lot of people get a second chance. I think he deserves a second chance
    He had a second chance. He used it to kill his father-in-law. I oppose the death penalty on practical grounds, but I'll lose no lose over this one.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#10)
    by Al on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    The biggest irony about Kenneth Lee Boyd is of course the fact he was a Vietnam war veteran. Back then he probably got a medal for killing people. When he began to kill people on his own the state suddenly didn't like the competition in the killing business.
    Mar, that is so very, very true. And notice how the leaders that decide when it's good to kill people take great care to put themselves beyond the reach of an international justice system.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    Mar, Just curious as to what Reagan will be in hell for? Do you believe in an eternal hell at all? Just wonderin and all. Jimbo

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#12)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    "According to NPR this morning, 97% of the world's executions take place in Iran, China, Vietnam and the U.S. If that comparison doesn't make one sick I'm not sure what can." Of course, if NPR had left out the US and truthfully said that 96% of the world's executions take place in Iran, China & Vietnam, and/or that the US is part of the group of nations that are responsible for just 4% of the world's executions, it wouldn't have had the same emotional impact, would it? Funny that the US murder rates which drive our executions and the number of lives destroyed by the murderer's callus disregard for human life seems not to repulse you at all.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    is that so sarastic? Got some proof on those figures?

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#14)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    Jimbo, are you another CINO (Christian in name only)that likes wars and executions?

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#15)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    Sigh. Oh, yes indeed, that is very much so, GregZ. A quick trip to the Amnesty Intl website, a calculator and some 6th grade math is all you need. But apparently you're too busy and life is so much easier when all you have to do is listen to NPR and lap up their koolaide. According to Amnesty Intl, in 2004, Iran, China, Vietnam and the U.S. executed 3682 people and of those, the US was responsible for 59. So, break out your calculator, if 3682=97% and you take out the US's 59 you're left with 3623 which, drumroll please, equals 96%. (OK, 95.5%, I used round numbers to reflect NPR's round numbers). So, the group of nations comprised of Iran, China and Vietnam are responsible for 96% (ok, 95.5%) of all the world's executions and the group of nations comprised of the US and the rest of the world is responsible for the remainder, 4% (OK, 4.5%). But that expression of the statistics wouldn't get you as riled up, now would it?

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#16)
    by cpinva on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    i'm curious as to why they executed him at 2am? seems to me that if his execution was meant to send a message to other would be murderers, it would have occurred at noon, in public. aside from revenge, what message was his execution meant to send?

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    GregZ: Sarc. may have been wrong by 2.5%. This website Common Dream: Breaking News and Views for the Progressive Community(I guess I am not allowed to read it) proves the numbers. If you work it out best case (or worse percentage) has the US executing 1.55% of the total. If you read further down and go with the theory that china executes at least 10,000 a year, then the US percetage is less than .59 percent. Yes! someone will shoot back, you rethugs enjoy executing people! Even one is bad. I'm just talking numbers here. I favor life at hard labor with no chance at parole.
    According to NPR this morning, 97% of the world's executions take place in Iran, China, Vietnam and the U.S. If that comparison doesn't make one sick I'm not sure what can.
    You could revise your statement to say "According to a progessive website, 95.5% of all executions take place in Iran, China and Vietnam. And 1.55% in the US." Check my math, it could be wrong.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#18)
    by roy on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    cpinva, Being killed at 2am behind closed doors isn't exactly a walk in the park compared to being killed at noon in public. I think the message to those contemplating a capital crime is intact: if you do it, the state might kill you. (Whether sending that message improves the big picture is another issue)

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#19)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    Thanks Wile, we're in agreement and you're math is correct.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#20)
    by Al on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    Regarding statistics: All countries pale by comparison to China. According to AI, in 2004 there were 3797 executions, and China accounted for 3400 of them. Of the remaining 397, Iran had 40%, Vietnam had 16%, the US had 15%, and the entire rest of the world was responsible for the remaining 29%. Considering that the US ranks fourth, below such exemplars of freedom as China, Iran, and Vietnam, I don't see much to be proud of here.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:36 PM EST
    Do you believe in an eternal hell at all?
    No. Thank's for asking.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#22)
    by roy on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:37 PM EST
    Considering that the US ranks fourth, below such exemplars of freedom as China, Iran, and Vietnam, I don't see much to be proud of here.
    Hmmm, we have about 4.5% of the world population, and 1.5% of world executions. The numbers still do not impress.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#23)
    by BigTex on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:37 PM EST
    Al - the point of criticizing the 97% figure is that it is a blatent cheap shot, and intellectually dishonest to an extreme.
    All countries pale by comparison to China.
    You are correct, everyone pales to China. Why lump the US together with China then? The only reasonable answer is for shock value. You have made tge critics point more elequently than they have.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#24)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:37 PM EST
    What is the point? That we kill less people than some repressive governments? You want to blame progressives for that? Who is trying to make it easier to execute people in this country? That is, who is trying to make us more like China and Iran?

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:37 PM EST
    Al and Ernesto good points. 15% is way too much and certainly ranks the US right with some of most ruthless leadership in the world.

    Re: N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in H (none / 0) (#26)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:37 PM EST
    Well said BigTex. Hence NPR's well-earned reputation as "National Propaganda Radio."

    N.C. Gov. Mike Easley to Become Footnote in History | 26 comments (26 topical)