The state of Idaho prepares to execute a man in hospice.
The crimes of which Gerald Pizzuto, Jr. was convicted are horrible. I grieve for the families of Berta Herndon and her nephew Del Herndon.
But the execution of Pizzuto will not bring the Herndons back. There are many reasons to oppose executions. Executions lower us to the level of those who kill. The violence of an execution feeds violence. Executions negate any possibility of repentance and restoration. Executions do not deter crime. In this case, there is the additional reality that Pizzuto is terminally ill. Killing Pizzuto would be cruel and unnecessary. Sign this petition to Idaho’s governor and the state Pardons and Parole Commission to grant clemency, call off the execution, and allow Pizzuto to die a natural death.
Gerald Pizzuto’s attorney notes: “At 64, Mr. Pizzuto is a frail shell of the man he once was. He has stage 4 cancer and is approaching natural death. The idea that such a sick, feeble man presents enough of a danger to society that he must be executed is far-fetched.” For more than a year, Pizzuto has been in hospice care on Idaho’s death row, suffering from advanced bladder tumors, along with type 2 diabetes, and a variety of heart and lung diseases. According to his defense team, he’s been prescribed 42 different drugs in the last year, and his medical records say he has “begun experiencing memory loss and mild disorientation associated with the death process”.
Pizzuto does not deny his responsibility for the murders of Berta Herndon and Del Herndon. His clemency petition notes that he “is not making excuses for the 1986 deaths of Berta and Delbert Herndon.
He accepts responsibility for his role in their murders and is remorseful for their deaths. He has
carried those regrets for 34 years on death row.” You can read the clemency petition here (including horrific details about abuse he endured in his childhood that left him with brain damage).
Killing Pizzuto would be unnecessary and cruel. That cruelty could extend to the state workers asked to carry out the execution of a prisoner in such a debilitated condition. This might well leave them with lifelong burdens known to exist with other former executioners. Please sign this petition urging that the execution of Pizzuto be cancelled. Please pray for those who love Berta Herndon and Del Herndon.
Filed under Capital Punishment, Current Events, Death Penalty, Human Rights
Walking. Stretching. NK Body Philosophy. Goochland.
Land of Lola – Billy Porter
To Life – Zero Mostel
Freedom – Fleetwood Mac
L’ile Maurice – Triton
I Am Orlando – Alejandra Ribera
Greensleeves – Rob Crabtree
Little Time – Indigenous
Lemon – U2
Five Anniversaries – For Elizabeth B. Ehrman – New York Philharmonic
Joy of Life/Trout in the Bath – The Corrs
Kodachrome – Paul Simon
Na Laethe Bhi – Clannad
Superstar – Sheryl Crow
Serenta Cruel – Villa Carino
Along the River – Various
Stretching. NK Body Philosophy. Walking. Goochland
For Marsha P. Johnson – Bryce Dessner
Boy Girl Wonder – Bitch and Animal
Queer – Garbage
You Are My Sister – Antony & The Johnsons
Who Am I to Feel So Free – JD Samson & MEN
Lola – The Kinks
I Wonder What Happened To Him – Noël Coward
Rebel Rebel – David Bowie
Transgender Dysphoria Blues – Against Me!
I Am Her – Shea Diamond
Candy Says – The Velvet Underground
iT – Christine and the Queens
Warrior Heart – Shawnee
Dark Passenger – The Cliks
Wig in a Box – Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Cameron – Jillette Johnson
We’re the Cool Kids – Ryan Cassata
A Girl Called Johnny – The Waterboys
El Lado Mas Bestia de la Vida – Albert Pia
Now That the Buffalo’s Gone – Buffy Sainte-Marie
American Indian Movement Song – Blackfire
Alcatraz – Redbone
Alcatraz (Pelican Island) – Malvina Reynolds
ALie Nation – A Tribe Called Red, feat. John Trudell, Lido Pimienta, Tanya Tagaq, & Northern Voice)
Never Say Never – Romeo Void
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Exercise, Music, playlist
Stretching. NK Body Philosophy.
The Rebel Girl – Hazel Dickens.
It’s a Long Way to the Soup Line – John McCutcheon
Pie In the Sky – Ani DiFranco & Utah Phillips
The Tramp – John McCutcheon
Joe Hill – Joan Baez
Joe Hill’s Last Will – John McCutcheon
Paper Heart – Si Kahn
What We Want – John McCutcheon
Where the Fraser River Flows – John McCutcheon
Casey Jones (The Union Scab) – Pete Seeger & Song Swappers
The Preacher and the Slave – John McCutcheon
We Will Sing One Song – Joe Glazer
Overalls & Snuff / The Connaughtman’s Rambles – John McCutcheon
Joe Hill – Bill Bragg, Chris Thompson & Wiggy
The Wooden Shoe / Ta Ra Ra Boom De Ay – John McCutcheon
There is Power in a Union – Entertainment Workers IU 630, Utah Phillips
Where the Fraser River Flows – John McCutcheon
Joe Hill – Paul Robeson
Stretching. NK Body Philosophy. Goochland.
I Know Where I’ve Been – Queen Latifah
Gracious – Bobby McFerrin
Bad Reputation – Joan Jett
So What the Fuss – Stevie Wonder
Anger in the Nation – Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
Hear Me Lord – Bonnie Raitt
The Ballad of Harriet Tubman – Magpie
You Are My Kind – Agua Clara
Get Down – Badfinger
Deep Water – Seal
I Know My Love – The Chieftains, with the Corrs
Give Me Something – John Lennon & Yoko Ono
The Long Way Around – Jackson Browne
Kalimba Blues – Earth, Wind & Fire
Stretching. NK Body Philosophy. Short walking with Henrik. Goochland.
I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow – Soggy Mountain Boys
For Sale? – Kendrick Lamar
I’m Not Going to Beg – Natalie Merchant
Why Don’t You & I – Santana
Runaway – Frank Waln feat. Kodi DeNoyer & Melody McKiver
Rainmaker – Keb’ Mo’
Taos Song – William Gutierrez
Seems Like a Long Time – Rod Stewart
The Great Divide – Neil Young
Joy to the World – Three Dog Night
Sandcastles – Beyonce
I Want to Be Evil – Eartha Kitt & Henri René
Little Boxes – Pete Seeger
Such a Night – The Band
Native Funk – Burning Sky
Mango Mako – Ismaël Isaac
Stretching. NK Body Philosophy. North East. Essie’s ordination.
Bisbee Blues – Calexico
The Endless Enigma, Part 2 – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
You and Me – Tom Chapin
Alla Va al Geberal – Luis Enrique Meija Godoy
The Wrong Company – Flogging Molly
Slow – Kahi
Wonderful – Wicked
Flying High – Karla Boboff
Whack Fol the Diddle – The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem
Song of the Evening Star – R. Carlos Nakai
Friend of the Devil – Grateful Dead
Give Yourself to Jesus – Aretha Franklin
Grand Central Station – Mary Chapin Carpenter
Oro My Johnny – The Sands Family
Because You Love Me – Carter Anderson
Wading Through – Terence Blanchard
The First Attack – Les Miserables
Stretching. NK Body Philosophy. North East.
Anacaona – Cleo Feliciano
Toth’s Library – Marco Beltrami
December 1963 – Yannick Noah
Somebody to Love – Queen
Make Somebody Happy – Santana
Ain’t I A Woman – Kim & Reggie Harris
Crazy – Kelly Fraser
Papa Yeye – Franco et le T.R.O.K. Jazz
Goat Head – Brittany Howard
Shut It Down – Neil Young & Crazy Horse
When the Key Comes Home – The Tannahill Weavers
For You – Demi Lovato
Survivor – Destiny’s Child
Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley
I Can’t Give up Now – Jaydene Williams
The final three songs are in memory of Molly Lowry whose memorial service was held today.
Along the Graybeard Trail 