Mr. Moussaoui got the right sentence.  He will now have all the time in the world to study the Koran (even memorize it), pray 24/7 as often as he wishes, and become the most devout Muslim the world has ever seen.  Then he can also study the Talmud and the Old and New Testaments as all devout Muslims are instructed to do.  Finally, when he is at his most depressed (having spent a lifetime by himself) he can recall that as bad as he thinks his life is, he won’t ever have to make the decision that the 9/11 victims had to make - jump to certain death or stay put and burn to a crisp, screaming in agony until the very end.

Why is it that whenever the Moussaoui trial is featured in a news item what comes into my mind is a rememberence of Lee Harvey Oswald?

Heather Higgins stated last night on “Real Time” with Bill Maher (you’d have thought Higgins was host as much as she spoke) that American’s had failed to focus upon the events of 9-11, that we should celebrate the events in order to keep them in the public eye - I suppose.  She felt the emotional prosecution of Moussaoui with highlight films of the WTC and recorded calls of victims and heroes alike was more than appropriate, it was necessary.

Of course she is also on record as saying that “George Bush as president, with his administration of strong leaders, [are] people who understood the threat of radical Islam and how overridingly serious it was...”.  Utter nonsense.

Too bad her breathless diatribe ruined further discussion by the likes of Mort Zuckerman and retired General Anthony Zinni.

I always wondered where the outrage was when Enron screwed the people of California and even laughed about it. I guess it was the Republican Christian values at work. Lets hurry up and deregulate everything.

Molly:

I sent the following to the NYTimes, and then read their fine print to the effect that they accept only submissions of 150 words or less.  I’m a wordy type.  Anyway, it amazes me (having lived in Texas) that you’ve managed to survive in TX and write the things you write.  Where’s your cave?

To the Editor:

I have a suggestion.  It is not a nice suggestion.  In fact, it is a reprehensible and thoroughly discreditable recommendation.  I’m talking about Zacharias Moussaoui, the only “terrorist” we’ve been able to bring to trial and win a conviction in the World Trade Center attack on 9/11/2001.  But it beats what the jury is likely to do.

It is as plain as pudding and pie that (a) Moussaoui wants to be executed, and (b) in all probability, the jury will accede to his desire.  This strikes me as odd.  It’s odd, because it should be beyond controversy that a man who deliberately incites the jury in a capital case against him is insane.  Being suicidal, last time I checked, is sufficient grounds for having a person committed to a mental institution.  But it’s also odd that a jury would accede to such a demand, and give their sworn enemy what he wants.  Why on earth should we give our enemy what he wants?

Moussaoui wants to become a martyr to his ill-conceived and misbegotten “cause.” We can only speculate as to his motivation.  Perhaps he salivates at night over the imagined 70 virgins who shall greet him upon his arrival following his demise.  Whatever his reasoning, it strikes me as insane.  So it is doubly odd that a jury would even consider acceding to such lunacy, particularly when there is an alternative.

I should preface what follows with two points: first, I do not pretend that my recommendation is politically correct, theologically warranted, or even ethically acceptable.  Second, I write (with perhaps a suitable amount of tongue in cheek) as a Christian.  Some of Moussaoui’s jurors probably consider themselves Christian.  So I aim my suggestion specifically at them, and adduce reasons for my recommendation designed to appeal to such religious convictions.

What is my recommendation, then?  Life without the possibility of parole.  My reasons follow.

(1) Any devout reader of the Bible can see that Moussaoui is not in control of his faculties.  Totally aside from the fact that he exhibits what his attorneys argue are symptoms of profound mental illness (I’ve heard “paranoia” and “schizophrenia” bandied about in the press), from a biblical perspective, Moussaoui’s religious convictions are clearly demonic.  The Bible plainly teaches that those who go a‑whoring after false gods do so under the aegis and control of Satan’s demonic hordes.  It follows that Moussaoui is but a pawn in a larger spiritual and supernatural struggle, and cannot be the prime mover his own acts.  Hence, to execute him as if he were the prime mover of his own acts is to act on the basis of a falsehood.

(2) I will forego any rehearsal of the arguments against capital punishment here.  My case does not rest upon such arguments (although I believe them to be persuasive and ultimately unanswerable).  Rather, I assume that the jurors would wish to provide Mr. Moussaoui with a sentence that fully expresses their outrage and that fully satisfies the demands of justice.  Now on the face of it, to give the man what he wants – namely, his own death – fails to hit the mark of justice by a very wide margin.  The sentence must not accede to Moussaoui’s desire in the slightest.  In fact, it must do just the opposite.  It must give him what he is above all disinclined to accept.  It must provide the most extreme amount of suffering possible (consistent with the demands of our legal system and of our own Christian principles).  The only sentence which answers these concerns is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.  Moussaoui will then no longer be able to conjure in his mind those delectable images of 70 virgins, for he will languish in prison until death by natural causes overtakes him at last.  No martyr then, but a shriveled and shrunken old man without purpose or hope in the world.

(3) We can add to the torment of permanent incarceration by arranging to have Moussaoui’s cell awash in gentle music of the Lawrence Welk variety, endlessly playing inane tunes over and over again.  To add some spice to the steady diet of piped in champagne music, periodically interrupt the music with evangelistic messages proclaiming Jesus Christ as the Son of God and savior of the world.  Such sermons could be offered by a Jim Baker or a Jimmy Swaggart in a sentimental tone of voice laced with tears.  It would add immeasurably to Moussaoui’s suffering if such sermons were delivered with a just barely perceptible effeminacy. 

To the jurors I say, do not kill Moussaoui!  Do not give him what he wants.  Instead, give him with days and nights of interminable suffering until he breathes his last, succumbing to natural causes in a cold, heartless prison.

Mack Harrell
South Orange, New Jersey

Some acquaintances of mine in the oil business in Oklahoma asked me at the time what I thought of “this energy crisis thing” in California.  Being a Californian who’d spent that summer having his lights go off and on with next to no notice, I said I thought that our governor ought to declare war on Texas.  I meant it, too.

What Enron was up to was clear to everyone, but the Republicans, especially the Texas Republicans, thought of it as a delicious joke, the same kind of joke they enjoyed when NYC was going through its fiscal crisis in the Seventies and early Eighties.  Liberals and Democrats getting it stuck to them and nothing they could do about it—yee-hah!

Well, you can imagine how much I enjoyed hearing of the recent rolling blackouts in guess where.

Still, considering God promised to save a city if one righteous person could be found within its walls, you being in Texas ought to be just enough to save the place, not only from God’s wrath, but also from itself.  One can only hope so.

It’s always good to read your thoughts and comments. This Enron fiasco is so sad and the public is still hood-winked into believing in deregulation. My state still hasn’t seen the writing on the wall, and is all in favor of keeping PGE [ an Enron} puppet energy co.]privatized and voted not to let the city take it over.When will the dupes learn?

Ping! Hitting another right on the head.  Keep rockin, Molly.

Go, Molly, go! 
Keep telling it like it is, and maybe, just maybe these neo-con arch-criminals will see their just rewards!  That is if Bush doesn’t pardon them all!!!  I think that’s why Tom DeLay smiled that “chicken-shit” smile for his mug shot . . . He knows that even IF he gets convicted and sentenced for his obvious crimes, that old George W. “DumbAss” will pardon him---The same for Carl “Stinky” Rove!!!These guys know that nothing can really hurt them as long as Bush is available to come to their rescue--Which, I’m assured he will. 

Bush’s old pals at Enron are gonna come out smelling like a rose, too, I’m afraid.  Nobody in this nation ever has to pay for their crimes, except us little folks...Who can’t afford to buy off juries and judges!

Molly, you’re a national treasure!  Your friend, Jim Slater (Oak Point, Texas)

And the band played on…

I always try to keep up with your work Molly Ivens. I admire your courage, as well as your writing.

The last paragraph of this piece says volumes. Hopefully, enough people will feel enough outrage at this abused trust, and then, who knows...?  But I am not very optimistic.

What horrible mistake it will be to kill Moussaoui becuase, as the argument goes, “He lied. People died.”

If he had not lied, the FBI tells the jury, we may have prevented 9/11. What a horrible itchy wool that is over their eyes.

And upon hearing the emotionally charged flight 93 recordings and related “He killed my mommy!” tear-filled testimony, the jury, brought up in a culture that celebrates the death of “criminals” and other “bad guys,” will allow the State to do what it wants to do.

The death penalty is nothing less (or more?) than REVENGE for a grieving, un-cultured, un-knowing, brainwashed populous.

Now, back to “Alias” and “24” and “Amreican Idol”....

Yes, Moussaoui is a very sick man. As far as anyone can tell, the only evidence that he knew anything about September 11 was volunteered by himself, hardly a trustworthy witness. A little bit of vengenace which will be forgotten about the day after the execution and a new martyr created - which is much more dangerous.

Yet Fox’s O’Reilly can call for the murder of millions of Muslims wordwide on a public radio broadcast, and all they do is up his salary and renew his contract.

As for Skilling, I am speechless.