Welcome to my new journal. As you see this will be a very special journal, one with a beginning and an end, with about 1,700 miles in between. So what would possess me to want to walk halfway across the country through nine states that still have capital punishment? To call for an end to capital punishment that's exactly what has possessed me.This idea actually came to me last year but I put it aside when I was offered a European Tour. For an entire year I hadn't even thought about it, then the other day it was back on my mind and it had grown to my heart. About one week later after many hours in deep thought and doing research I made up my mind. I was scheduled to perform in Philadelphia last night at the Arts Garage with Mc Therapist from Philly, Enki from Dirty Jerz and the one and only poet Monte Smith from North Carolina. With a host of other acts the line up was incredible, and the night was revolutionary history.
In front of about I don't know maybe 100 people that trooped the snow storm I announced my action (see video announcement below). It was welcomed more than I thought. Many people talked about getting involved and this is what this walk is all about, getting involved. I want to bring all the parties involved together, all the victims because that's exactly what the death penalty breeds, victims. We need to put a stop to this madness. I don't understand why a country that has been blessed so many times over still sees it fit to kill it's own citizens regardless of the reasons.
Every justification the system puts forth for capital punishment can be argued till no end, so why do we still practice this barbaric act? That's just what it is, it is cynical if you ask me. High tech lynching and all those that are indeed pro-death penalty calling for death are modern day lynch mobs, now they just hide behind the court system.
Why not open international discussions? Not at the UN behind closed doors but out in the open so we can all state our cases. Let me tell you there are a lot of cases being ignored. It's time to open the doors.
I don't know if this walk is the answer to opening the doors to discussion world wide, but I am in hopes that it will at least crack it a bit. I want to hear from Italy, France, Germany and all the other countries that function just fine without capital punishment. How do the families of victims deal there? I want to know this. The crime rates in these countries are far lower than ours here in the states, I want to know about this as well. Seeing we are talking about human lives here I think we, (civilized society), should come together and find a common ground that hopefully is firm with life and not more killing.
I am seeking sponsorship for this walk, donations, help, anything. All the money raised from this walk will go towards finding a cure for this sickness that leads to the death of to many young men and women. Through this blog right here you will see your donations being put to action. Besides needing funding to make this journey a complete success I will need volunteers in a number of areas. I will post these positions up in the next day or so.
For now talk about it. Talk about it amongst one another or here if you wish, what would it take to satisfy the people that want a death penalty? Life without parole is no gift of life let me tell you. It is a death sentence, you just die slowly. Having a convicted murderer serve life opposed to being executed always gives the victims family the opportunity to forgive, not forget, but forgive. I believe this is where the healing is.
Think about it; Jesus was executed so we could all be forgiven for our sins. Now one of those sins committed was killing the son of God, Jesus, an innocent man. We were forgiven, the lesson is not difficult. So why do we need to keep repeating it over and over. The madness needs to stop.
I hope to hear from everyone that visits here and I encourage you all to tell your friends and family about the Walk 4 Life 2008.
If you care to make a donation visit my myspace page at: www.myspace.com/capitalxaka305375
Till next time. Peace, love, and Progress. "X"
Capital-"X" at the Arts Garage Philly 2-22-008
