John Allen Muhammad

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Tonight, barring any last minute stays, John Allen Muhammad will be executed by lethal injection in the great commonwealth of Virginia.  The United States Supreme Court has already decided not to hear any appeals on behalf of Muhammad.  I say, "Good riddance."

Seven years ago, Muhammad along with his accomplice Lee Boyd Malvo went on a shooting spree in the DC area.  None of the victims had anything in common, nor did they have any relationship with the pair.  Their only crime was being in the proximity of the killers when they struck. 

The total randomness of the violent acts kept the DC area on edge until the two were caught.  Personally, I remember constantly keeping my head on a swivel trying to observe everything that was going on around me.  I remember stopping to get gas one night and deliberately leaving my car door open to act as a barrier to any potential attack.  The attacks hit real close to home when a child was shot outside of a school here in my home town of Bowie.

Generally speaking, I do not have strong feelings about capital punishment these days.  In years past, I was very much for capital punishment.  On the abortion debate, I have always been pro-life.  When I studied Buddhism, I started to rethink my position on capital punishment.  I questioned how I could call for the sanctity of life in one case but not the other.  Now, I tend to lean towards capital punishment being the exception rather than the rule.

Not so in the case of John Calvin Muhammad.  I can't say it any other way, so excuse me for being so blunt.  I want him dead.  It would be fair to ask why the Muhammad case would draw such a response.  It is because I am first and foremost a father.  Seven years ago, my then 8 year old son, was terrified by the events of the day.  He would run into my bedroom late at night and say to me, "No news, Daddy.  No TV."  With his autism, he was unable to tell us everything he was feeling, but I had never seen his so frightened.  All I know is that anybody that could instill such fear in my child is worthy of my wrath.  If it were within my power, I would pummel him with my bare hands.  So for John Allen Muhammad, good riddance.

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