Justice, Not Revenge

This post is written in memory and honor of the thousands of Kurds, other Sunnis, Shites, Christians, Jews, political opponents, potential political opponents, those mistakenly identified as political opponents, and passersby, whose lives were cut short and the millions whose lives were shattered by the actions of a troubled, abused, little boy who became the ruthless, heartless, bloodthirsty dictator of Iraq.

I take no pleasure in the death of any man, even this one. His is a tragic life that begat tragedy for millions including his own offspring. But justice is being done, perhaps as I write. His trial may not have been perfect, but he received ample opportunities to present his defense, opportunities his victims did not have. He was never a devout Muslim and does not represent anyone but himself. I suspect, outside perhaps his own family, very few will mourn him.

But neither should we rejoice. This meting out of justice should be done with dignity and solemnly. Democracies do not deal in revenge. They do not kill with joy. They hold every human life precious. Any blogger who taunts the dictator, his family, or his pathetic followers grants undeserved credence to the tyrant's accusations that his legitimate prosecution is actually persecution or revenge.