	Clemency for Tookie Williams Letter to Gov Schwarzenegger
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 Nov. 20, 2005 Dear Governor Schwarzenegger ; I am writing to appeal to you to help stem the tide of violence in our communities by granting clemency to Stan Williams. Allowing Tookie to live and continue his work for peace might be the single most important action you could take to encourage gang youth to rejoin conventional society. I have worked with kids in gangs for more than 20 years and have written many books and articles on the subject. I know that your advisors are telling you to “send a message” to kids on the street that joining a gang can be deadly. But consider how Mr. Williams’ execution will actually be viewed by a young gang member. He might say: “Damn. Tookie may have done some bad sh*, but after all he’s done – even got nominated for Nobel prizes — and he still dies? If all that don’t mean “rehabilitation” then why should I even try* to go legit?” On the other hand, what would the effect of clemency be on that same gang member? “Damn. Schwarzenegger saw that Tookie has done some good. If a bad dude like Tookie can turn it around, I can too. Maybe Tookie is right: we need to stop the violence and I need to get it together.” Now will every gang member respond like that? No, surely not. But I’m convinced the chilling message that will be sent by Tookie’s death will not deter youth from gangs, but enrage them. It will show them that nothing they can do will ever be enough for them to rejoin society. On the other hand, I think clemency will send a loud and clear message that it is possible to change, that while bad deeds are punished, good deeds are rewarded. Above all, on the streets Tookie is seen as a peacemaker. Do we really want to kill peacemakers? Didn’t someone once say “Blessed are the peacemakers?” You too, Governor, can be a peacemaker. Please grant clemency for Tookie Williams. Sincerely, John M. Hagedorn Senior Research Fellow Great Cities Institute Associate Professor Criminal Justice Univ. of Illinois-Chicago Author: People & Folks

Clemency for Tookie Williams

Letter to Gov Schwarzenegger

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814

Nov. 20, 2005

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger ;

I am writing to appeal to you to help stem the tide of violence in our communities by granting clemency to Stan Williams. Allowing Tookie to live and continue his work for peace might be the single most important action you could take to encourage gang youth to rejoin conventional society.

I have worked with kids in gangs for more than 20 years and have written many books and articles on the subject. I know that your advisors are telling you to “send a message” to kids on the street that joining a gang can be deadly.

But consider how Mr. Williams’ execution will actually be viewed by a young gang member. He might say:

“Damn. Tookie may have done some bad sh**, but after all he’s done – even got nominated for Nobel prizes — and he still dies? If all that don’t mean “rehabilitation” then why should I even try to go legit?”

On the other hand, what would the effect of clemency be on that same gang member?

“Damn. Schwarzenegger saw that Tookie has done some good. If a bad dude like Tookie can turn it around, I can too. Maybe Tookie is right: we need to stop the violence and I need to get it together.”

Now will every gang member respond like that? No, surely not. But I’m convinced the chilling message that will be sent by Tookie’s death will not deter youth from gangs, but enrage them. It will show them that nothing they can do will ever be enough for them to rejoin society.

On the other hand, I think clemency will send a loud and clear message that it is possible to change, that while bad deeds are punished, good deeds are rewarded.

Above all, on the streets Tookie is seen as a peacemaker. Do we really want to kill peacemakers? Didn’t someone once say “Blessed are the peacemakers?”

You too, Governor, can be a peacemaker. Please grant clemency for Tookie Williams.

Sincerely,

John M. Hagedorn
Senior Research Fellow
Great Cities Institute
Associate Professor
Criminal Justice
Univ. of Illinois-Chicago
Author: People & Folks