Human life isn’t a pawn in politics

Vernos Branco, Las Vegas

Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.

During the Republican primary debates, I was angered a bit by the callous attitudes of the GOP/Tea Party. Wolf Blitzer presented a hypothetical situation about man who doesn’t have health insurance but gets sick and falls into a coma. “Are you saying that society should just let him die?” Blitzer asked.

“Yes!” some members of the crowd yelled out. How hypocritical, since it was the Tea Party hollering about death panels during the health care debates. Apparently they’ve forgotten their stand against “pulling the plug” on Terri Schiavo.

Just a week earlier, the audience applauded Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s policy about executions, not accounting for the possibility of an innocent person being put to death.

When I wrote about the lack of concern over the Massey mining disaster and the BP explosion that killed people, I was attacked by extremists. Their response was that risk is part of the job. I seriously doubt those individuals realize accidents can be prevented by not cutting safety corners in lieu of profits.

According to Amnesty USA, more than 130 people since 1973 have been released from death row due to evidence of wrongful conviction. In 2003 alone, 10 wrongfully convicted defendants were released from death row.

Human life means little to people who lack empathy; obviously there are Tea Partyers who fall into that category. I thought neocons were a bit much, but these new far-right radicals bring a new definition to crazy.