How Many Children's Books Atones for a Murder?

NPR and other media outlets and Hollywood celebs are mourning over the execution of Tookie Williams, constantly reminding us that he was a great guy, a hero to children, because he wrote children's books. Sure, he never apologized for murders he was convicted of, and refused to come clean and cooperate with authorities by revealing information about the inner workings of the deadly Crips gang he founded - that could have saved more lives and shown a true change of heart, in my opinion. But he gained redemption - or at least massive publicity - by "writing" 8 books for kids.

And the quality of his writing? Here's one sample: "So keep trying to be a good person. I did it. You can do it too. I know you can." No wonder he was nominated for a Nobel Prize in Literature. What's really surprising is that he has been nominated FOUR TIMES for a Nobel Peace Prize. Why would anyone consider a gang-founder and murderer for a prize that should be reserved for world-class men of peace like Yasser Arafat? Let's face it, Tookie is small fry compared to some other past nominees like Adolf Hitler in 1939, Joseph Stalin in 1945, and Benito Mussolini in 1935.

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