The Shoe Bomber, revisited...

[Elite1]

Remember the guy who got on a plane with a bomb built into his shoe
and tried to light it? His trial is over. How much of this Judge's
comments did you hear on TV? Everyone should hear what the judge had to
say. This is worthy of your time. The real eye opener is that the News did
not report anything on it.
US District Court Judge William Young statement in sentencing "shoe
bomber" Richard Reid:

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JUDGE WILLIAM YOUNG, SENTENCES THE SHOE BOMBER
US District Court Judge William Young made the following statement in
sentencing "shoe bomber" Richard Reid to prison. It is noteworthy, and
deserves to be remembered far longer than he predicts. I commend it to
you and anyone you might wish to forward it to. (I hope you will read
every word! Pray for more judges like this one.)


"January 30, 2003, United States vs.. Reid.


Judge Young: "Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the
Court imposes upon you.

"On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the
custody of the United States Attorney General.

"On counts 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison on
each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutive with the other.

"That's 80 years.

"On count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years consecutive
to the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon you each of the eight
counts a fine of $250,000 for the aggregate fine of $2 million.

"The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to
restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre
Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines.

"The Court imposes upon you the $800 special assessment.

"The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because
the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I
need go no further.

"This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes. It is a fair
and just sentence. It is a righteous sentence.

"Let me explain this to you: We are not afraid of any of your terrorist

co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have been through thefire before.
"There is all too much war talk here. And I say that to everyone with the
utmost respect. Here in this court, where we deal with individuals as
individuals, and care for individuals as individuals, as human beings we
reach out for justice, you are not an enemy combatant.

"You are a terrorist. "You are not a soldier in any war. "You are a terrorist.
"To give you that reference, to call you a soldier, gives you far too much
stature.

"Whether it is the officers of government who do it or your attorney who
does it, or that happens to be your view, "You are a terrorist. And we donot negotiate with terrorists.

"We do not sign documents with terrorists.

"We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice. So war talk is
way out of line in this court.

"You are a big fellow. But you are not that big. You're no warrior. I knowwarriors. You are a terrorist. "A species of criminal guilty of multipleattempted murders.

"In a very real sense Trooper Santiago had it right when you first were
taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and
where the TV crews were and he said you're no big deal.

"You are no big deal.

"What your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys
have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know how tried to
grapple with, is why you did something so horrific.

"What was it that led you here to this courtroom today?

"I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I asked you to
search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you
to do what you are guilty, and admit you are guilty of doing.

"And I have an answer for you.. "It may not satisfy you. But as I searchthis entire record it comes as close to understanding as I know. It seemsto me you hate the one thing that is most precious: You hate our freedom.

"Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to
come and go as we choose, and to believe or not believe as we individually
choose.

"Here, in this society, the very winds carry freedom. They carry it
everywhere from sea to shining sea.

"It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in
this beautiful courtroom. So that everyone can see, truly see, that
justice is administered fairly, individually, and discreetly.

"It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on
your behalf, have filed appeals, and will go on in their representation
of you before other judges.

"We are about it. Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr.
Reid, is the measure of our own liberties.

"Make no mistake though: It is yet true that we will bear any burden, pay
any price, to preserve our freedoms.

"Look around this courtroom. Mark it well.

"The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here. Day
after tomorrow it will be forgotten. But this, however, will long endure.
Here in this courtroom and courtrooms all across America, the American
people will gather to see that justice, individual justice. Justice, not
war. Individual justice is in fact being done.

"The very President of the United States through his officers will have to
come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be
judged. And juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence
democratically - to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice.

"See that flag Mr. Reid?

"That is the flag of the United States of America."That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag
stands for freedom. It always will.

"Custody, Mr. Officer. Stand him down."
How much of this Judge's comments did you hear on our TV sets?
ZERO!