Robert Latimer

[Dr. J]

I've never written my member of Parliament before, but I have now.

The current miscarriage of justice being carried out by the National Parole Board in the case of Robert Latimer I find to be ridiculous. Whether one agrees or disagrees with what he did, this man is not a menace to society and having him remain in prison serves no useful purpose.

His lack of remorse says volumes about his character (his sister says he will not lie to get out), but absolutely nothing about the possibilty of him repeating his action.

This attempt to hold him down until he says "Uncle" is childish bullying at it's worst. it serves no one well, not Latimer, not society, not the disabled.

Like I said, I've never written my MP before but I did on this one.

Maybe this should have been in the Politics Forum?

Is there a Pissed Off forum?

[mark tonin]

I remember following this case fairly closely over the years as it made its way through the court system (both the initial verdict and then the sentencing appeal).

I've discussed this case with many students in high school law classes over the years, and the vast majority of them think that what he did was wrong, but that the sentence was far too severe for what he did. Most adults that I've talked with about this case over the years feel the same way. Therefore, I was shocked when I heard on the radio that he was denied day parole. Enough already!

Peace, Mark

[Jaimoe]

I was watching the CBC news a few days ago and some of the people interviewed in the Latimer news piece implied that Latimer has said that he'd do it again.

[Patchoulia]

I, too, was appalled when I heard he was denied "day parole" (though I don't fully understand what that means). Right or wrong, he's paid his (in my opinion) questionable "debt" to society.

I'm not condoning what he did..I can't even figure out how I truly feel about it..it's a difficult question and a slippery moral & legal slope..

I know the purpose of the sentence was for its "deterrent" value, but I just think this guy and his family have suffered enough..and from what I can tell, he fully believes what he did was right and done purely from a place of love.

[phishtaper]

... implied that Latimer has said that he'd do it again.

he has always stated that he felt what he did was the right thing to do. given the impossibility of it actually happening again, though, he should be released despite the legal requirement of showing remorse.

very sad situation, all around.

[bagochips]

The man has been in jail for about 15 years now. He is no threat to society or any individual. I believe the parole board is way off base in their decision to not grant him day parole (life in a half-way house vs staying in jail, SP).

Meanwhile Karla roams the streets of Montreal ...

[Patchoulia]

(life in a half-way house vs staying in jail, SP).

Meanwhile Karla roams the streets of Montreal ...

Thanks for the clarification.

And that last fact you mentioned is, literally, nauseating.

[Dr. J]

... implied that Latimer has said that he'd do it again.

he has always stated that he felt what he did was the right thing to do. given the impossibility of it actually happening again' date=' though, he should be released despite the legal requirement of showing remorse.

very sad situation, all around.

[/quote']

I agree. Given the same set of circumstances (a daughter whom he loved suffering immeasurable pain with no hope of getting better) Latimer has always said he would do the same thing over again. As his sister said - he's not going to lie to get out of jail.

How many jackasses come before the Parole Board and lie thru their teeth and the Board knows full well they're only giving them what they want to hear and they still get parole....but Latimer (despite the miniscule possibility that he would ever re-offend) refuses to say what they want to hear so they continue to twist his arm a little tighter.

The other night i happened to catch a PBS special on Dylan showcasing some early live footage. It struck me that this is the very kind of situation that in the early sixties Dylan would have ripped to shreds "The Ballad of Robert Latimer"

[bagochips]

"The Ballad of Robert Latimer" eh? Now if only you knew somebody who wrote songs, Dr. J.

[Dr. J]

Now if only you knew somebody who wrote songs, Dr. J.

ah yeah.....but he doesn't listen to me.....none of my children listen to me.....

geeez i don't even think my member of Parliament listens to me

[Davey Boy 2.0]

pretty rough

Robert Latimer had a daughter named Tracey

She was born in the eighties at a time of great progress

With a cord wrapped around her neck oh so tightly

And any air that gave life was cut off in the process

But born she was and lived a life of great suffering

The mind of a baby was to be her life sentence

And bedsores and seizures over and over again

The doctors thought surgeries would help with the pain

But mutilation, incapacitation her father protested

And one day decided upon her final deathbed

To ease the pain and suffering of a beloved

And hoped that in death her agony would be ended

But the authorities fumed and pointed and jailed him

While knowing he loved her and that the weight that he carried

Would be with him always just like her memory

He suffered and mourned and did his time bravely

And then one day his parole it came up

He asked for it humbly and had always thought

That for his actions his daughter would love him

And on that point his parole was denied

They wanted to hear that he was wrong not right

In acting in the best interests of a loved one

For her to live a life of suffering and pain was more just

And his hopes for his freedom were thereby crushed

And until that day he looks a judge in the eye

And with the laws of the land he complies

And admits to himself and to the world

That he didn't do what was best for his girl

He'll sit in a prison with one thought on his mind

That justice can indeed be blind

and has nothing to do with what's wrong and what's right

But until the day that's changed he'll fight

Edited December 7, 2007 by Guest
added last stanza