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December 18, 2005

God and Taxes

It's that time of year again, when some mysterious combination of the season and fiscal year-end evokes the normally shy spirit of giving. If you've got the urge but are unsure where to give, let me recommend two worthy causes:

San Francisco Network Ministries, led by the aptly named Glenda Hope, offers badly needed services in the Tenderloin neighborhood. These include computer training, housing, and a safehouse for women leaving prostitution. I've worked with this organization for many years, and endorse it with all my heart. They are good people doing seriously important work.

OTX West, led by an old IBM colleague of mine Bruce Buckelew, offers free computers to students in Oakland Public Schools, as well as heavily discounted ones to schools. They receive donated equipment from business and government, tune 'em up and install a clean build, then offer them along with training and tech support to people in need. I've seen his operation in action, and the passion and efficiency of his team are inspiring. I'll post some photos soon, but in the meantime they could use your support.

If you'd rather give llamas and goats to people around the world, that's cool too. The main thing is just to give.

"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4)

Posted by Michael at 01:26 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

December 13, 2005

Tookie Williams - Atonement and Redemption

As expected, the State of California executed Tookie Williams last night. I opposed this in a previous post, not because I believe he is innocent, or that good works cancel out bad deeds. What struck me today was the excerpt from Governor Schwarzenegger's denial:

"Without an apology and atonement for these senseless and brutal killings, there can be no redemption."

This is the language of God and not politics. We should separate such men from society for the rest of their lives, but it is not our place to judge atonement and redemption. Leave that to God.

Posted by Michael at 02:20 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

November 23, 2005

Tookie Williams Should Live

The countdown is on for the execution of Tookie Williams. It's an awful question: what to do with a man convicted of killing four people with no motive other than mayhem, but who has subsequently renounced violence and dedicated himself to helping young people stay out of gangs? I've listened to the arguments back and forth, but I believe they're flawed on both sides.

One one side some very famous folks (Mike Farrell, Jesse Jackson, Bianca Jagger, etc.) are making the claim that his good works in prison merit clemency. The families of the victims are understandably incensed by this argument - what good works might his victims have done if there lives had not been cut short? Do we setup some kind of points system to measure redemption - so many merit badges to earn a stay?

Yet, the arguments on the other side fail to move me as well. They talk about the message it sends to others, but studies show that punishment must be swift and certain to be an effective deterrent; the death penalty is neither. From an economic standpoint, these cases end up costing the state far more than lifetime incarceration. Finally, there's the troubling fact that more than a hundred death row inmates have later been exonerated.

So the real argument comes down to justice: is it right to end this man's life because he ended four others? If he is no threat to others now (and nobody suggests he is) then I say no; not because of his redemptive works (admirable but irrelevant) but because we are imperfect vehicles of justice.

"Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." (Romans 12:20, Deuteronomy 32:35)