The State of Georgia did what it has been doing for centuries this week. It killed a black man who many believe was innocent, a hallowed tradition in the American South. Troy Davis was executed in Georgia on September 21, 2011 after spending decades on death row.
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene and all state level appeals were denied. Troy Davis was convicted of killing an off-duty Savannah policeman who was moonlighting as a security guard. Seven of the nine witnesses who testified against Davis recanted, citing police coercion and intimidation as reasons for their untrue testimony. There was no physical evidence linking Davis to the crime. I have been saying for years that the criminal justice system in this country is criminal and unjust.
The voters stayed away by the thousands as Baltimore City had its lowest voter turnout in history this past Tuesday. Was it because of lackluster candidates, a general malaise and disillusionment with politics, or a sense that the faces in office don’t matter because the powers that be are going to do what they want any way. The people did not show up and so the idea of a representative democracy took a big hit in Baltimore. Some people I spoke with believe that the African-American population for the most part is depressed and the white population is alienated and those facts account for the low turnout. Others have suggested that the media covered the election so poorly that it was difficult for the candidates to stir much enthusiasm.