I’m frustrated today. There are times when I am sincerely scared and disappointed over the direction my country is going. Before having kids it was easier to shrug off. Now I have a greater concern over the future, their future.
Most have heard of the execution of the Texas immigrant who murdered and raped 2 girls 15 years ago. It’s created a big mess for the US that could have been avoided, yet arrogance overruled common sense. I’ve heard and read many comments from citizens applauding Texas’ courage for going ahead with the execution. The comments are laced with blood lust and anti-illegal alien sentiment. I do understand wanting justice for the victims. I also understand the frustrations surrounding the growing problem of illegal immigration. This issue really isn’t about either, however. It is about honoring our word and protecting our credibility when it comes to international agreements.
Many of those giving Texas a standing ovation clearly don’t understand the objective of the Vienna Convention or comprehend what the real complaint is against how things were handled. They think it is some sort of ‘get out of jail free’ card. As if involving the Mexican Consulate in this gentleman’s prosecution would have some how compromised justice or changed the outcome. It wouldn’t have. It’s not designed to hand citizens over to their home countries for punishment. It’s not diplomatic immunity. It is simply an agreement that Consulates are notified when their citizens are charged with a crime on foreign soil and that their citizens have a right to seek their assistance in navigating/understanding that country’s legal system. I know if I were ever charged with a crime on foreign soil the American Consulate would be the first call I’d want to make. It would be my right under the terms of the Vienna Convention. Now there is no guarantee a foreign country would feel obligated to extend that right to me since the US has shown international agreements and codes of conduct need only apply when convenient.
To those who are celebrating this man’s execution, just know it comes with a price. We could have had the exact same outcome by following proper channels and not have put our citizens’ rights to assistance abroad in jeopardy. Joke all you like about how making Mexico mad is no big deal. One person said “what do they have, like 2 tanks to come get us with.” This isn’t just about fear of military retaliation. This is about opening the door for any other country who wishes to ignore agreements they’ve made by citing our actions as justification. To those who feel this gentleman was not Mexico’s concern because he illegally entered the US as a young child, I say get consistent. He is either a citizen of our country or he is a citizen of another. If the US isn’t willing to claim him as one of us, then they can’t turn around and say he doesn’t belong to Mexico either.
This whole ordeal has given me one thing to kind of sort of compliment George Bush on. As clueless as I’ve felt him to be he did recognize the scope of the problem and opposed this man’s execution without righting the wrong that was committed 15 years ago. So 2 points to Georgie Boy there. He actually took a moment to think about how our actions might compromise our ability to be effective in international circles. He isn’t completely golden in my eyes though. There is little doubt in my mind he was aware of this issue when he occupied the Governor’s Office in Texas. So many years have passed where this man could have been retried under the appropriate conditions. He was guilty as sin. There is no changing that. Short of inventing an effective mechanism for time travel, there is nothing his Consulate could have done to rewrite history and make him be or appear innocent. Justice was going to be achieved. It would have been a lot wiser to get to that point without turning a blind eye to promises and ethics.
Please let me wave my hand rapidly in the air as I shout, “YES, YES, YES. I second this thought!”
Our reputation within the international community is terrible, probably the worst it’s every been, and when we refuse to take into consideration that we are not isolated, that we are part of a world community, we are doing more damage than we realize–damage that will take generations to change.
I also agree that people are confusing issues in their anger.
YES!