wrong?

In the last few days I have been reminded of some troubling times.

Our country has a pretty good legal system, it may be as good or better than any around, but our system makes horrible mistakes sometimes. Without doubt we have executed innocent people. Other times in a rush to find someone guilty for a crime, we have rushed into action that later proves to be woefully wrong.

Tonight I was reminded of the story of Ferdinando Socco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti. They were Italian immigrants that were executed for a murder they most certainly did not commit. But they were immigrants, so it did not matter (some one, at that time, actually wrote a line similar to that) that they died.

Every one in prison (I am told) claims to be “innocent”, but some actually are.

I am always troubled by the way we treated the Japanese/Americans at the beginning of WWII. There are quite a few Japanese people around here, they are some of our best citizens. But then, our country was so frightened that we walked all over innocent people. It took a long time for us to apologize about that one.

Although we are a nation of immigrants (most of us any way), we are not too good to others who come after us, whether Irish, Italian, Chinese or Muslims.

All of this reminds me that even though we (I) have great intentions, even though my course of action seems right at the moment, it may turn out to be hurtful to people who deserve better.

I wish it were not so.