McVeigh will become a hero

by Anatoly O. 05.08.2001

On February 28, 1993, an unsuccessful raid on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, TX led to a 51-day siege of the compound. The confrontation ended April 19 when, by order of the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, more then 80 Americans, including women and children, were killed. Militia groups had organized in several states following the Waco tragedy. On the second anniversary of that deadly confrontation the 26-year-old Gulf War veteran Timothy McVeigh set off a bomb in front of the federal building in Oklahoma City, containing the office of the BATF, and killing 167 people. Timothy McVeigh did not know that the building also contained a day-care center, and regrets that 15 young children were among those killed.

During the last six years, the dead children, covered by blood, were regularly shown on TV. No surprise, that polls show that vast majority of Americans believe that 'the worst mass murderer in U.S. history' should be executed. However, capital punishment is only acceptable for the sake of saving lives. Two guys from Cambridge, MA repeatedly raped a ten-year-old boy and did not have a second thought about killing him, because Massachusetts does not have a death penalty. McVeigh's execution will not save lives. It will make him a martyr for anti-government causes. But clemency will give him time to understand that the outcome of his actions was directly opposite to his intent. Thanks to him, FBI and BATF got more funding and more staff. Bill Clinton attended a memorial service in Oklahoma City for the bombing victims and on April 24 gave a speech about "hate" and "violence". This speech boosted his rating and helped him win the 1996 election. Killing innocent people only gives the government the excuse to enlarge the power and propaganda.

John Kennedy's domestic programs stalled in Congress, and foreign-affairs crises occupied much of his time. He was much criticized for failure of Bay of Pigs Invasion, for creating Cuban Missile Crisis, for his politics toward the South Vietnam, which led to unsuccessful Vietnam War. His assassination made him a hero and a great president. The McVeigh's execution will make him a victim and a hero in eyes of many Americans. Clemency is right thing to do.