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The Real Motivation: Mercy or Money?
Scotland freed the terminally ill Lockerbie bomber last week so he could die at home in Libya. "Our beliefs dictate that justice be served, but mercy be shown," a Scottish official said. Did Scotland do the right thing? Should we have any mercy for mass murderers who are terminally ill?
There must be more to the story of Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill's release of Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi on "compassionate grounds."
Supposedly, the terrorist is dying of prostate cancer. He was serving a life sentence for being the "Lockerbie bomber," a disaster that came from a terrorist act in 1988 that resulted in the deaths of 270 people -- including 180 Americans -- when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over the Scottish town of Lockerbie.
MacAskill said repeatedly, in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, that the Scottish government had administered justice; now it was administering mercy.
Huh?
Governments do not usually do the mercy thing. It's not the way to appear strong. Even when mercy should be shown, it is not the usual way of governmental action. So, when MacAskill kept talking about mercy, I kept wondering what was really up.
If it is a fact that al Megrahi is dying of prostate cancer, mercy could be shown in letting him get adequate care, including palliative care if he is in pain. But why should he have been released, allowed to go and be with his family?
Who was bought off? Where is the money in all of this? Surely there is money involved.
As I wrestled with my feelings, I got to thinking about Jesus. What would Jesus do? I am a Christian, after all. I am bound to "go there."
For the life of me, though, I cannot imagine even Jesus being OK with this man being allowed to go home. He could have been made comfortable in a prison hospital. That's the normal way; I think it's the right way. Too many people have died in prison hospitals. What makes this man so special?
I think the "not setting well" deepened exponentially when I saw that this man was given a hero's welcome when he got home to Libya. It was a slap in the face. It sort of felt like the Libyans were claiming some victory, snubbing their noses, as it were, at those who thought this man would be kept in prisons.
Americans be damned. That's what it felt like, and it didn't feel good.
But I went back to my Christianity. What would Jesus do? Wouldn't Jesus want us to forgive this man? Yes. The question is, then, what constitutes "forgiveness" in this instance? Forgiveness does not mean one cannot and should not be held accountable for what he or she has done, and sometimes, that accountability means that the person is forever denied opportunities he or she might have had.
Compassion in that case means taking care of the individual as much as possible. Just because a person has done something bad does not mean bad treatment toward him or her is justified.
But that person still deserves punishment, and must understand that bad decisions have consequences. It would not have been showing a lack of compassion had this man been allowed to die in prison. His family could have then gotten him and given him a decent funeral and burial.
As it is, this man was wildly cheered for "one-upping" those who sought to make him pay for what he did.
It didn't set well. I don't think it ever will. Jesus, forgive me.
By
Susan K. Smith
|
August 24, 2009; 4:37 PM ET
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Posted by: b1tolove1 | September 3, 2009 11:19 PM
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"Who was bought off? Where is the money in all of this? Surely there is money involved.
The right question, Susan, and here is the answer:
The decision to release Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi had nothing to do with mercy, everything to do with OIL, also spelled "British Petroleum," generally the determining factor in UK Middle East policy, regardless of the issue.
This was seen most recently in
British "interventions" in the Iranian election, on which I posted here extensively.
Ain't no shame in their game. Never has been.
The world's largest oil company, BP has always supported mass murderers, started the chain of events that brought us to the Iran we have today. It is guilty of countless human rights violations, has gotten away with murder right here on US soil. (See Wikipedia.)
Lybian oil cried out to BP, and BP did hear.
Read, and weep.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6814974.ece
Now, for the next question: Who was sold out, and why was no compassion shown for them?
And, finally, given that the US is soon to resume normal relations with Gadaffi, terrorist and funder of terror, do we or anyone else have more Locerbees to look forward to? No matter how much Gadaffi pays out in reparations, he will always be what he always was, stopping at nothing to reach his goals. Ask Chad.
Posted by: Farnaz1Mansouri1 | September 1, 2009 11:41 PM
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Was there a payoff?? Given that Libya paid out mega-billions to the families of the massacred victims of Lockerbie in an attempt to buy their way back into civilized society, surely a couple hundred million or even a billion paid into the cash reserves of Scotland for a 'merciful' release would be as nothing by comparison......and damned good publicity back home.
Gaddafi and sons are nothing if not clever (and remorseless) politicians. Anything is possible.....
Posted by: persiflage | August 25, 2009 10:01 PM
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It is often that we wait to hear, as the late Paul Harvey would say, "for the rest of the story".
I am not sure what the rest of the story is here, but I am sure of this one thing the mercy and grace and forgiveness we give is what God has promised to give to us. So given that, I want to be as merciful and forgiving as I can, so when God is dealing with me...
Okay now for the other shoe to drop, forgiveness does not mean relationship!
While I want to forgive and to be merciful there is nothing that says I have to sit with this man at a table for dinner or be happy that he was given hero's welcome!
I pray for the families of those who lost loved ones in that tragic event. But I also pray for those who gave this man a hero's welcome because they have lost something too, a heart of compassion for others.
Thanks, for hitting nail on the proverbial head again!
Posted by: tyson41 | August 25, 2009 2:53 PM
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"It didn't set well. I don't think it ever will. Jesus, forgive me."
Susan, I do not think you are in need of forgiveness. In this case, he did not show even a sense of remorse, but basked in the praises of those misguided admirers, proving that he is unrepentant for his evil deed. Yet showing mercy, even to such people, is required of us. God will handle the rest.
Posted by: MGT2 | August 25, 2009 11:14 AM
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It's interesting how money and power can change the rules to fit the need!!!