Thoughts on Intention

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I watched Larry King's interview with Karla Faye Tucker, who was sentenced to die by lethal injection on 3 Feb 98, with fascination, because it raised the fundamental question of "intention", and how the justice system is centred around the discourse of intention, although wealth has a different interpretation of it, a la OJ Simpson. My understanding of the legal definition of murder does require the Prosecutor to prove beyond any reasonable doubt the intention to kill. This was complicated by Karla's drug use during the event of the crime. Did Karla really know what she did 14 years ago? Or was she committing an act whilst under the influence of mind-altering substances? Was the mind in synchrony with the body under influence? Does it erase the argument of intention? If substance abuse caused the act, then should rehabilitation be focused on detoxification and education instead of just a literal disposal of the accused? In her rehabilitation process, Karla could play an important role in the anti-drug and anti-domestic abuse crusade. The urgency of Karla's situation was overshadowed by a country obsessed with whether their President has had oral sex and attempted to cover his tracks. Many where just waiting for Lewinsky to describe Bill Clinton's penis in graphic detail. Perhaps the President's penis is so commonlike that Clinton's aides couldn't challenge Lewinsky to describe distinguishing features as in the case of Michael Jackson. Whatever the outcome of the investigation, Bill Clinton could increase his popularity by doing the John Wayne Bobbit stunt - "Clinton does the White House". So what if the man is a little horny? There must be more to the Presidency than this. Going back to the question of intention, the investigation centres around the possibility of Perjury, and not his capacity to manage the country because he's had sex outside of marriage. Unfortunately, the current discourse does not reflect that. A capable man should be able to run his country regardless of whom he has performed oral sex as long as the exchange is consensual and both parties are of legal age. Sometimes the question of intention was marred by the question itself. In Clinton's case whether he intended to or had slept with Lewinsky was totally irrelevant because he was tried for lying in court. The sensational aspect of a libinal President just overtook the course of justice. 2 people were senselessly killed by Karla's and Karla paid the price for it with her life. Now is this world a better place now with her death? President Clinton, bless his soul, has an active sex life. How he does it should not and will not make this world a better place too. Unless he has mastered a technique that we all don't know about...but that's another story...

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