To hear the birds and smell the roses once again

"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Today, The Daddy could write about Michael Steele, HNIC of the Republic National Committee: how this shoe shine boy (when not playing slave catcher), spits all over himself and the American people for a party that hates him, his people, and any hint of genuine progress for America.

Today, The Daddy could write about President Obama: how his recent flip flops on publishing torture photos and waffling on getting rid of the Don’t Ask Don’t tell military policy is beginning to make Oba ma Kool-Aid Drinkers spit out his drink and shout “No, he didn’t!” instead of “Yes, we can!” But, no, The Daddy has something more important to write about, something he cannot get out of his mind.

This early morning, with dew still on the leaves, The Daddy got out of bed, made coffee, and sipped it out on his patio. Then, with java still in hand, he strolled leisurely around his backyard, walking on fresh green grass, listening to the birds and smelling the flowers. Then the image of a round, speckled-faced Troy Davis came into his mind--This almost nerdy looking guy who, had he not been arrested and convicted, could have been a smart lawyer defending someone in court, who could have been sitting behind a desk as someone’s community librarian, or who could have been a neighbor walking around his own backyard just before getting ready for work.

This is the same Troy Davis whose life was shot back into ultimate survival mode when the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to hear his case, pleading technical issues like Troy not filing his appeal papers on time years ago, knowing that the state of Georgia did not provide him a lawyer to make him aware of his rights and to help him to file the papers anyway. Larry Cox, executive director for the U.S. segment of Amnesty International, put it this way:

"Today's decision is an affront to basic human rights and demonstrates that legal technicalities have become a dangerous excuse to undermine justice. Yet again the courts are placing procedural obstacles over the critical issue of innocence, and, by extension, the value of human life. The bar for admitting evidence has been raised to such a level that no one arguing his innocence would be able jump that hurdle."

This is the same Troy Davis who, if the state of Georgia has its way, will be executed for a crime he probably never committed, a crime with no weapon found, no evidence connecting him to the crime, and where 7 of the 9 witnesses who, under police intimidation, originally said Troy Davis did the crime, have now recanted their stories. Indeed, some have pointed to one of the two remaining so-called eyewitnesses, saying he did the crime.

This is the same Troy Davis who not only has already spent 17 years for a crime he probably didn’t commit, but who will die out of a few state judge’s choice to value state technicalities such as the time he first filed for appeal over a human being’s life and some white Georgians view that some man—no, some black man—must die for the killing of a white off-duty police officer—even if he is innocent.

This is the same Troy Davis who not only can't grab a cup of coffee and walk around his backyard; he can't even leave his cell. A number of bloggers have been asking that you fight for Troy Davis. Two of the leading bloggers to ask you to do so have been SJP over at Sojourner’s Place and the Villager over at Electronic Village. Along with Amnesty International, they have helped to keep this issue and Troy Davis alive. They made you aware of Troy’s plight and updated you every step of the way in this ever-winding twist of injustice. Now, The Daddy is joining SJP, the Villager and many others to blog for Troy, for justice…for an America that does not sanction the killing of human beings.

The Daddy is blogging to say don’t give up; you still have time; and, for your sake as well as his, keep up the fight. And here’s what you can do:

1. E-mail or fax Gov. Perdue’s office. Go to this Amnesty International’s site (http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=11448). It has an email or fax letter you can use to send to the governor asking him to support clemency for Troy Davis.

2. Phone Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (GADP) at: (404)876-6113. Let them know you are with them all the way in this fight against the death penalty; and

3. E-mail Troy to let him know that, no matter what, you will stay in the fight, that you will continue the fight against the death penalty, and that, through this fight, he will always be remembered. You can reach him at: troy@aiusa.org

Listen, wouldn’t it be a great day if Troy, like The Daddy, wakes up one morning, takes his cup of java out to his backyard and just walks around on green grass, listening to the birds and smelling the roses once again?

Wouldn’t that be something?
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Note 1: The latest on Troy from the Atlanta Journal Constitution is that his lawyers will file a "last-ditch" appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Troy. They say "Davis' new evidence eviscerates the state's case against him. Despite substantial new evidence of his innocence, no court has ever held a hearing to assess the scores of new witness that show Mr. Davis is innocent. " They say to carry out the execution without"...a full and fair hearing in which he could make a truly persuasive demonstration that he is actually innocent is unconstitutional ."

Note 2: There will be a rally for Troy today that will be organized by Amnesty International.