Scottish Law

I would like to begin by pointing out that when people travel to foreign countries they are expected to follow the laws of that country. Here in the US we hold our foreign visitors to our laws just as we are held to the laws of their country when we travel there. With this established, I would like to next point out that in the US legal system people imprisoned for most crimes are eligible to receive parole and early release for things such as good behavior. For that matter there is a special group of people who deal with these cases.

Now to the issue at hand. Under Scottish law if you are terminally ill you can receive a compassionate release from prison. This law, very much like our own parole system, has recently taken center stage on the world scene. The Scots recently gave a compassionate release to Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the infamous Lockerbie Bomber.

While there are rumors that the release of al-Megrahi was connected to threats by the Libyan government to freeze British assets in it's oil rich country, the facts remain. Under Scottish Law al-Megrahi, recently diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer, is eligible for compassionate release from prison. His release did not come until doctors declared that he has less then three months to live, a diagnosis that was confirmed by several physicians.

Much of the anger being expressed here in the US and around the world is at the fact that a know terrorist, sentenced to life in prison, has been releases and that he now poses a threat to the rest of the world. If al-Megrahi is to be any real threat to the world it is as an example. How long before other countries are pressured to strike deals with terrorist nations to protect financial interests.

For their sake I am hoping that the rumors of this release having anything to do with a $900 million development deal between BP and the Libyan government. BP and the rest of the world needs to stop and realise something, they need to realise that there are several other nations around the world with the same resources that would gladly have their business. Libya is not the only country in the world with oil and natural gas resources. I'm sure any one of the under developed countries of the world such as Venezuela or even Britain's powerful neighbor to the East Russia would gladly accept offers to help their countries failing economies and industries.

But the core problem as I see it is that we here in the US have for to long held to the idea that we know what is best for the world. This pompous attitude would be bad enough alone, but you often here people us rhetoric such as, "We are the last superpower so the world should do what we want."

We can not use our position as a superpower to dictate laws to sovereign nations, we must use our position to make sure that financial and political blackmail is not a tool used by other nations to get what they want. If the Scottish government was coerced into this release, the terrorist win they greatest victory, they managed to get another country to do their will, and divided the rest of the world at the same time.

Remember, united we stand, divided we fall.

Charlie

Welcome

Welcome to Veritas Vox Populi, for those of you who are a little rusty with your Latin that means get a dictionary and figure it out for yourself. Not everything in life is handed to you on a platter, some of it you have to work for yourself. If you haven't guessed by now, I intend to call 'em like I see 'em, and if you don't like that I would suggest you move on to somewhere a little more politcally correct.

For those still reading, I am a 35 yr old graduate of Lake Superior State University with a BS in History and Minors in English and Secondary Education. No this does not make me a know-it-all teacher, it makes me someone who has some idea of where society and civilization has came from and I realise where it is headed. I tried my hand at teaching and decided that, while I liked what I did and the kids I worked with, I couldn't stand parents or the rampent nepotism that infects our American educational systems. If you feel the "good 'ole boy" system of hiring and promoting is limited to the business world all you need to do is step through the doors of your local school and look around to see how many of those working there are related to another employee.

I am also a published author. I have written articles on the right to revolt and the true definition of evil. I feel that if you are unhappy with those who are in power over you, you have the right to stand up and say, "No more!"

This does not mean I am calling for and armed march on a capital anywhere in the US. It means that when we have our organized revolt, ie elections, don't vote for the same moran time after time. And if you decide to vote for the same idiots, sit down and shut up, you are more a part of the problem than you are the solution.

Much of what you read here will be me commenting on the news from around the world, as well as on occassion comments on events and activites here in my own home town. Nobody is safe, and no topic is taboo. I invite comment and look forward to hearing your ideas on what I have to say. Just be warned, if you comment like a moran, you could very well be the next topic I discuss.

Charlie