justice and compassion

I know it's been forever since I've written. Prepared to be shocked about my topic. For whatever reason this article has me up in arms. (Okay, not really up in arms, but a little bit peeved at our Secretary of State.)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32479346/ns/world_news-terrorism/?GT1=43001

This article talks about Abdel Baset, who was convicted in 2001 of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103. There were 270 people killed in the bombing. Baset is being released on "compassionate grounds" because he has terminal cancer. Families of the victims are split in supporting or not supporting the release. I can understand both sides, at least to a degree. Now the thing that has me really peeved off though, is that Secretary Clinton has come out and said that Baset should not be released because "we think it is inappropriate and very much against the wishes of the family members of the victims who suffered such grievous losses with the actions that led to the bombing of the airline."

Okay, so what Clinton says is true. I'm sure there are tons of family members who want to see the guy rot and die in jail. However, since when is justice carried out by the families of victims? Umm...never. Yes, let's just bypass the legal system and let the angry families decide what should happen to this man. I tell you one thing, if we decided to go by that standard here that would probably solve the problem our overflowing prisons in California!

I thought the USA held themselves as the vanguard of democracy and justice. Apparently "we" think there are exceptions. Thanks Secretary Clinton for making us a walking contradiction.

Note: I hold nothing against Clinton, I just think this is a really dumb call for both logical and ethical reasons.