DJFan - my deepest condolences on your and your family's loss, from one Steeler brother to another.
DJFan - my deepest condolences on your and your family's loss, from one Steeler brother to another.
We got our "6-PACK" - time to work on a CASE!
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!
DJ, I'm right there with you man. I haven't suffered the loss that you have, but I totally agree with.
My biggest annoyance is the pol who say that if you're pro-life you have to be against the death penalty. No I don't. Who killed the innocent person? Not the fetus you dumba$$e$
Some of the stuff we have to go through in life sucks. It doesn't make sense. It doesn't seem fair.
No matter how bad the situation may be, it's only worse on us if we let anger, resentment, etc. creep in. Forgiveness is the only thing I know of that can free us from the vicious cycle of evil. No matter how bad we've been hurt, forgiveness can heal. And at it's core, the forgiveness doesn't necessarily matter to the man that wronged you. It can help you and you alone.
That's why I'm against the death penalty. No need for innocent people to become savages. No need for humane people to become what they themselves despise. It's not healthy for us or society. I agree we have a responsibility to protect ourselves. But that responsibility extends to everyone. Including caring for those who have done wrong. My thoughts on this aren't progressive at all. They boil down to every person has value and no wrong is different than any other wrong. Wrong is wrong. And there's not as big a line between those in prison and you and I.
I've volunteered in prisons and worked with criminals that have committed crimes you wouldn't want to imagine. Most of the folks in prison have endured a very hard life. It may not seem like it to most, but these people are victims too. Many are mentally ill. Others have been abused. Others are addicts. They are sick people. No one in their right mind would do the things these people do. Yet they're still people too. They have mothers and fathers and families that care about them. They really are a lot like you and I, but have lived a life of different circumstances for the most part. At the end of the day, I don't think any punishment is really a deterrent to crime. People will do what they do for whatever reasons they have for doing so with or without the threat of punishment. The punishment doesn't ever get to the root of the problem.
I have witnessed first hand how forgiveness can change people. Forgiving themselves. Forgiving others. Forgiving is transformational. It's not easy to do. And others definitely don't deserve your forgiveness. But that's the best part. It means you are in control, not them. If we don't forgive, I think we allow others to take away our innocence. I say don't let them win. The death penalty to me mean evil wins. I don't want to live in that world. I want better.
Violent crime is awful. I'm truly sorry for what you and your family have gone through. The thing I always remember in the worst times is that there's always an opportunity for miracles in tragedy. We wouldn't need miracles if there wasn't great pain and suffering. I don't think it's possible to appreciate what life truly has to offer unless we go through something equally painful. And it sucks that we can't really appreciate something like this until we hit a bottom.
I really despise pain and suffering. F it! I can't stand the thought of people feeling pain. You should not have had to go thru that crap. I want to pull the switch for you and would if I really thought it could do any good.
Flip, I love you my Steelers brother. We have had many chats/threads over the years, but you will not move my position here.
It's not about revenge. It's about protecting our culture from damage within. Lose these creeps and we have more people protected.
Clear and simple.
Steel City Mafia
So Cal Boss (Ret)
[URL]http://www.anewsong.com[/URL]
The love is mutual as long as we can get a separate room from you and FF
I'm not here to change your mind. We all have our own experiences in life that shape our views and opinions. And I appreciate you sharing your story and perspective.
I like learning about other people's point of view better than thinking about my own. I'm completely aware my perspective on things is usually a little skewed for some reason. Not sure what it was, maybe some kind of brain injury from when I was a kid.
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