Historical vignette 3: the Athenian murder
This story may be completely apocryphal. It's just something I read many years ago.
The story goes that once, in ancient Athens, a famous and popular citizen was murdered. The person who killed him was a nonentity, a nobody. His motive was the belief that, if he killed somebody important, his name would always be remembered, even if it was only for the notoriety of his crime.
He was tried and convicted, and his punishment took his motive into account. As part of his sentence, the people of Athens agreed among themselves that they would never mention the murderer's name, and that it would never be written down anywhere.
The sentence had its intended effect. The murderer's name was not recorded. It is now utterly forgotten and unknown.
It's in the same spirit, and because of my disgust at the way some people fetishize "famous" serial killers as quasi-celebrities, that I always refer to "the Fort Hood gunman" or to "the murderer of Dr. George Tiller" or suchlike. I prefer not to use their names. It's only the victims who deserve to be remembered.
And all I have to say about this is: good riddance to bad rubbish.
The story goes that once, in ancient Athens, a famous and popular citizen was murdered. The person who killed him was a nonentity, a nobody. His motive was the belief that, if he killed somebody important, his name would always be remembered, even if it was only for the notoriety of his crime.
He was tried and convicted, and his punishment took his motive into account. As part of his sentence, the people of Athens agreed among themselves that they would never mention the murderer's name, and that it would never be written down anywhere.
The sentence had its intended effect. The murderer's name was not recorded. It is now utterly forgotten and unknown.
It's in the same spirit, and because of my disgust at the way some people fetishize "famous" serial killers as quasi-celebrities, that I always refer to "the Fort Hood gunman" or to "the murderer of Dr. George Tiller" or suchlike. I prefer not to use their names. It's only the victims who deserve to be remembered.
And all I have to say about this is: good riddance to bad rubbish.
posted by Infidel753 at 2:37 AM
2 Comments:
Agreed. He was a real maggot who terrorized us for weeks. The grip he had on the DC area was frightening.
I am not likely to comment on these thing's much,only because I look like a hypocrite to anyone who know's me personally.I already read this yesterday,but was hesitant to comment.But what Mr.Mendip said as well ...had an impact on me...I know he live's in the DC Area, and I cant imagine what folk's must have felt there when this was going on(I drive daily in DFW,but had not had to face this),and the relief of this character's capture. I also question why this 17 year old isnt executed? But I know how court's work and plea bargain's too well. I am familiar with the glorification part of this posting you talked about very well,but cant comment on that because I would have to point out certain group's that I may have been affiliated with(I actually dont glorify any, my dealing's were strictly personal research,personal reason's, since they were alive and available).I just posted and you linked to it how I said I thought execution's in Texas should be indefinitely suspended,although I am PRO death penalty,I know how hypocritical that sound's,but that is only because Texas is a different ball game...and I am sure that many innocent people have been executed here,This character is NOT innocent.I sound hypocritical to some, because of personal research and such that I done in dealing with several convicted of crime's including multiple murder's ... but each of those know absolutely that I am PRO death penalty,we usually got that straight right at first contact,they had no problem with it or being put to death,remarkably some admit that they should be put to death.This is why I try to debunk all this "insanity" garbage that is used as defense.I talked to several who are considered mentally off...bottom line is, in my opinion regardless of what the expert's may say...I dont think so in most cases...or this guy was,regardless of those who say he was, but insane? ... pop culture rubbish, even this Ft.Hood character ...there's not a damn thing insane about him,but I know their going to try to paint that.One name I want to point out here if I can, because I believe damn well he is INNOCENT and I have dealt with him for awhile, is Damien Echols, on death row in Arkansas ... but this is the reality of our society and how some are pidgeonholed.I'll shut the Hell up now.
Thanx .........
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