My feelings on the Josh Powell tragedy

Things like this are never, ever, easy to write about, because if you take a position that is outside of the normal realm of opinion; people tend to think you are someone who justifies murder or crime.  Let me say emphatically that I do not condone, justify or even remotely support what justify that which Josh Powell did to his Children or even possibly to his wife.

However, yesterday I wrote a posting on this blog, which shows that something is seriously wrong with our Government.  It just so happens that if the Government decides that you have committed a crime, the burden of clearing your name falls on the person accused of the crime; and if you happen to not be a person of great means of wealth, you basically become a slave to the judicial system. Sometimes that judicial system becomes poisoned —- whether by bias, religious discrimination or some other poison.  Furthermore, if you marry a woman and that woman’s family and parents decide that they have a vendetta against you, and they have the Government on their side, you are twisting in the wind, my friend. As for Powell’s wife, the authorities have no idea what happened to his wife. All they have are theories.  The truth is she could have left the Country or State with another man for all we know. But, it will not be properly investigated; because they have to pin the murder on someone; so, why not Josh? He killed himself and his two kids, did he not? It is an conviction of convenience; something big, intrusive Governments are known for.

Such is the case of Josh Powell — From the Salt Lake City Tribune:

Graham, Wash. • Relatives of Josh Powell blamed government officials, media and Internet media pundits for setting in motion the terrible tragedy that has now rocked two families.

The statement signed by Maurice and Patti Leach said they were “grievously saddened” by the loss experienced by both the Cox and Powell families and that there was no justification for the deaths of Powell’s two innocent sons, Charlie, 7, and Braden, 5.

Patti Leach is Steve Powell’s sister. They attended a September custody hearing to support Josh Powell. In a statement they said that he had asked for their support in helping him as “the next patriarchs of the family” following his father’s arrest on pornography and voyeurism charges.

“We were also asked by Josh if we would offer a safe haven for his sons should the need arise,” the Leaches said. “Our answer was absolutely yes.”

[…]

The Leaches said they had become disillusioned with the legal system during the court proceedings. They said government agencies, religious bias, “Internet kangaroo courts and sensationalized media had circumvented and “completely compromised” due process rights in the case.

“America, this is not only a tragedy, Sunday was a dark day for all of our families,” the Leaches said.

On May 18, 1927 a School in Bath, Michigan was bombed.  A man named Andrew Kehoe was the culprit.  The media then made him into a monster.  The truth is, the man was pushed into foreclosure on his farm, because of excess taxes brought on a levy to pay for a school.  The point here is that Andrew and Josh both have one thing in common; they were pushed to the brink of violence and committed these acts of violence because they were pushed; by an intrusive Government that would stop at nothing, to get what it wanted. Sadly, because of this, in 1927 — 45 people; 38 children who never got a chance to grow up and be adults, 2 teachers, 4 other adults and the bomber himself were killed and 58 people were injured. All because the Government just had to have its taxes.

I think we can do better than this — much better.

I leave you all with a picture that was made by Andrew Kehoe before his death:

Such is the case with Josh Powell and Andrew Kehoe