Cries of the Innocent....

The way the prosecutors tell it, he had a smirk on his face when he took the life of Officer Mark MacPhail in a Burger King parking lot on Aug. 19, 1989, in Savannah, Georgia. MacPhail, who was working as an off duty security guard, was coming to the aid of a homeless man who was pistol whipped by 2 men demanding beer when he was shot. 22 years later, his alleged killer, Troy Davis, is 24 hours away from death by lethal injection. Seems simple enough, right?

***WRONG***

Over the last 22 years, many doubts have been raised when it comes to Davis' guilt. 7 of the 9 witnesses that testified against him later recanted their testimony, there was no gun found at the crime scene, and of course, there was no DNA. With so much doubt still lingering, why is the death penalty even on the table? Even a fraction of doubt should be enough to stop the legal lynching of a potentially innocent man. I understand the embarassment it would cause on the justice system to have to admitt that an innocent man had his life stolen but is someone's life worth less than the flawed U.S. justice system?
For years, there have been appeals, requests, letters, petitions, and protests. Supports from all over the world have stepped up to speak up against this injustice. So far, nothing has made an impact on the reality of this situation. Right now, the reality is that as of 7pm on September 21, 2011, Davis may die by lethal injection at the hands of the very justice system that failed him. But, we have not given up the fight; neither has Davis. He refused his last meal and expressed that this fight is not over. He will fight until his last breath and so will we.

It's no secret that Georgia has sentenced more people to death than any other state in the U.S. Is it a coincidence that back in the day, Georgia was also the state with the highest number of lychings? You can form your own opinion but I don't believe in coincidences. History repeats itself and it will continue to do so unless WE do something about it. As I have said before, our country is long overdue for a revolution, and I wouldn't be surprised if the death of Troy Davis was the start of something that America isn't ready for. Do your research and educate yourself. Find something that you feel strongly about and stand up for it. We have to come together because when you're fighting a war this big, you can't accomplish anything alone.

Call to request that D.A. Chisholm withdraw the death warrant 912-652-7308
Call Judge Penny Freesemann, who signed Troy's death warrant, and urge her to retract the warrant: 912.652.7252
Sign some petitions:
www.naacp.org
www.change.org
www.iacenter.org

*~Writers Ink~*

Send your thoughts to writers_inkorporated@yahoo.com. Reach out to me on Twitter @ Writers_Ink or on Facebook @ Writers Inkorporated.

*Sidenote: All images are linked to the site that they were taken from, just click on them to proceed to those websites*

10 Years Later

I have yet to meet a person who doesn't remember where they were or what they were doing when the planes crashed into the Twin Towers. It is one of those images that seem to be burned into our memories. Where was I? I was in high school; 2nd period science class, with Mr. Hagler. I remember the class being noisey as it always was; full of side coversations. When the second plane hit, it got silent, almost as if everyone in the classroom was thinking the same thing. I remember walking the hallway with my friend Dre while she was in a panic because she couldn't reach her mom who worked in downtown D.C. When my grandmother picked me up from school, we came home and watched the news coverage on tv for hours. I never really expressed any emotion until I watched people jumping from the windows before the towers fell. It's hard to imagine how desperate the situation is to take your own life before the crash of the building does. More importantly, I'll never forget watching the bravery of those emergency responsers trying to save as many people as they could; to this day, I applaud their bravery and sacrifice.

September 11, 2001 was a day to remember. Not just because of the tragic events that happened, but because it was an event that brought this nation together. Citizens of the United States were closer than they had ever been. It was the closest this country has ever been to UNITY. 9/11 never kept us down, it only helped build us up. It turned enemies into neighbors and it brought out the bravery in many who never knew they had it in them. So as we reflect on the 10 year anniversary of 9/11, don't just think about how it affected you then, but think about what it means to you now. Never forget the brave souls who lost their lives saving others. Never forget the innocent lives lost. Never forget what it did to this country and for this country.

*~Writers Ink~*

Where were you on 9/11? Do you have a story about that experience you would like to share? I would love to know. Feel free to comment here, email me at writers_inkorporated@yahoo.com, or reach out to me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instant Messanger. I want to hear your stories.

*Side note* Photos were taken by me in New York at the "Tiles for America" display.