One who is merciful to those who are heartless will end up being heartless to those who are merciful.--- Jewish Thought
What a shame that the Scottish judge who released the terrorist mastermind of the PAN AM 103 mass murder never learned this teaching found both in the Jewish Book of Law--The Talmud, and 3 separate times in the philosophical musings of the Midrash.
Did anyone doubt that the release of this mass murderer would wreak havoc on the hundreds of bereaved families of the victims of terrorism? Was there anyone on the planet who couldn't have foreseen the hero's welcome this thug has reported to have received upon his arrival back in Libya?
Simon Wiesenthal, the great hunter of Nazi War Criminals, a man who lost 89 members of his family during the Hoiocaust and spent the rest of his life trying to bring Nazi murderers before the bar of Justice. was constantly asked: "What is your motivation--Justice or Revenge? "Revenge?", he would reply, "who could even conceive of a revenge befitting a murderer responsible for the death of hundreds or thousands of innocents? "No the best we can do", he would add, "is to pursue a measure of symbolic justice--since it is impossible to give each and every victim, what they deserve-- their own day in Court"...
Now a judge in Scotland has robbed the victims of PAN AM 103 of their measure of symbolic justice.
That life sentence meted out to the mastermind of the mass murder over Lockerbie was supposed to be society's way of standing up for justice and in solidarity with the hundreds of families whose lives were permanently crippled by this premeditated horror. This terrorist was sentenced to die in jail -- yes, even if he had cancer. Not executing him initially was society's act of compassion. Today's release is devoid of any compassion for those blown out of the skies over Scotland -- or their families. Justice -- through this misplaced act of Mercy--stands debased.
Today, I can only bow my head in shame and pray for the families of PAN AM 103...
Follow Rabbi Abraham Cooper on Twitter: www.twitter.com/simonwiesenthal
Michael Wolff: How the Lockerbie Bomber Got Away With It
The Brits are in a mess: They have freed the Lockerbie bomber for reasons that nobody truly, or reasonably, believes. And yet, maybe they know what they're doing.
This is not to diminish the pain suffered by the families, simply a reminder that we are also responsible for causing great pain and should be cognizant of it.
First, all the reports that convinced many Scottish victims' families that this man is not guilty. The Americans have been protected, somehow, from this information.
Second, he needs to read Portia's soliloquy from the Merchant of Venice.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/297200.html
There has been some progress since the Talmud was written.
If justice would be served, Israelis would deserve a terrible fate. I vote for mercy and reconciliation, after they abandon their colonial arrogance. It's working in Rwanda and South Africa.
What the writings of a poet have to do with a discussion of justice and mercy ? I could write a poem saying that mercy is exactly the opposite of everything Shakespeare said it is. Neither are material to the discussion.
As for Israel - you can't be colonial if you are simply returning to your homeland!
Mercy and Justice should be in balance - in this case, the judge lost sight of Justice and thought only of Mercy.
What happened here was not a retrial. It was a decision saying that because he was near the end of his life he did not have to serve his life sentence. That is not Justice - and that was the Rabbi's point.
While one who ... gargles in the rat race choir....cares not to come up any higher ...but rather get you down in the hole that he's in. - Arguably another Jewish thought (Bob Dylan)
Revenge is a capitulation to the inferior morality of the offender
-I said that.
As a matter of fact he wasn't. A life sentence in Europe does not definitely mean that the person must die in jail. The usual lengths of a life sentence are around 20-25 years.
The man was tried and sentenced under Scottish law, something to which the United States explicitly agreed in a treaty. In just about every European country, life sentences only last longer if the person shows absolutely no remorse and/or is dangerous.
So if you want us to understand Jewish law, respected Rabbi - something I'd encourage people to do - then please first learn some basics about the aspect of European law you are criticizing.
And also, don't forget that Scotland is Northern Ireland's nearest neighbor. There, the killers of many innocent people are walking free, some of them may be in the government. We know what a high price it is for victims to tolerate that. And yet most of them accept it, because the peace process has made Northern Ireland a better place to live than it had been for a century or more.
He said: "I have never been ashamed to see my country's flag waved before, but to see it misused to celebrate mass murder is outrageous.
"This man is convicted of murdering 270 people in my part of Scotland and that conviction stands.
"This adds further pressure to the SNP to explain why they have freed a man who showed no remorse for the crimes he has committed."
David Mundell, Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, said the scenes from Tripoli were "sickening".
He said: "This is as we feared and why we said that Mr Megrahi should be kept in Scotland.
The path of justice shines like a light
On any whose guilt is known by all.
There's no virtue so truly great
As when the sword of justice must fall.
Except for the selfish of earth
That, which is unjust, pleases none.
I would rather die in exile
Than be a victim on the run.
Those who pass judgment to quickly
Without hearing the other side
Never wish to be just at all
But wicked and shallow inside.
The spirits of the just are kind
For hate has not consumed their soul.
The mills of judgment grind slowly
When justice with mercy's our goal.
By Conservative Poet
Tom Zart
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He didn't defend his suffering or his death, only that he bear consequence of his actions.