The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: PegLeg45 on January 01, 2011, 05:51:15 PM
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And this just in from the "sh!t that don't really matter in the real world but might interest some folks" files:
http://www.koat.com/r/26337713/detail.html
No Pardon For Billy The Kid
Richardson Decides on Final Day in Office
Albuquerque, NM -- On his final day as Governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson may be remembered for something he did not do. Richardson decided not to pardon the famous outlaw, Billy The Kid.
Richardson made the announcement on ABC's Good Morning America Friday morning.
People around the country have been split on the Governor's consideration to pardon Billy The Kid.
Video at link
What can I say, it's has been a long boring day....... ::)
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Jim Morrison, stripped and had a groupy well,.....while on stage. Gov. Crist pardoned him. OK, big deal....
Billy The Kid, was an OUTLAW, horse thieving, stone cold killer, that murdered people, including the "Law". What part of "Wanted Dead Or Alive" is ever worthy of a pardon?
Yes, an American Folk Legend, but a pardon? He did have good taste in rifles though,.... ::)
Hardly....
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Actually, this was my favorite part:
"It was a very close call," Richardson said live on GMA. "I've been working on this for 8 years. The romanticism appealed to me to issue a pardon. But the facts and the evidence did not support it and and I've got to be responsible, especially when a governor is issuing pardons," he said.
::)
** As a side note, we need a "tongue-in-cheek" emoticon. ;)
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Jim Morrison, stripped and had a groupy well,.....while on stage. Gov. Crist pardoned him. OK, big deal....
Billy The Kid, was an OUTLAW, horse thieving, stone cold killer, that murdered people, including the "Law". What part of "Wanted Dead Or Alive" is ever worthy of a pardon?
Yes, an American Folk Legend, but a pardon? He did have good taste in rifles though,.... ::)
Hardly....
it is like Ned Kelly over here!!
why do people like to glorify a Criminals.... ???
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it is like Ned Kelly over here!!
why do people like to glorify a Criminals.... ???
It was the "in thing" to do......150 years ago. Criminals of that era endeared themselves to many home folks, ie Jesse James, Billy the Kid and so on.
I just think it is absurd to still be pushing for stuff like this 100+ years later......I thought the comment in the video from Billy's family was funny as hell....like he was still alive or something.
Don't get me wrong, I love old west history and reading about this era of American culture, but some things need to be let go.
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There are plenty of grounds to debate whether or not the Kid deserved to be considered an outlaw in the first place.
His offenses were committed during the waging of a violent political fight which saw his opponents opening the shooting by murdering his employer. And some histories would suggest that the deputy he shot more than deserved it, badge or not.
Secondly, Then Governor Lew Wallace had promised Billy a pardon in exchange for testomony that his killing prevented him from ever giving.
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There are plenty of grounds to debate whether or not the Kid deserved to be considered an outlaw in the first place.
His offenses were committed during the waging of a violent political fight which saw his opponents opening the shooting by murdering his employer. And some histories would suggest that the deputy he shot more than deserved it, badge or not.
Secondly, Then Governor Lew Wallace had promised Billy a pardon in exchange for testomony that his killing prevented him from ever giving.
There's no debate as far as I'm concerned. He was a thief. murderer and cop killer. It all has been documented and is available for anyone to read. The books that made most people believe he was a robin hood type have all been discredited as fiction.
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There's no debate as far as I'm concerned. He was a thief. murderer and cop killer. It all has been documented and is available for anyone to read. The books that made most people believe he was a robin hood type have all been discredited as fiction.
Thief, murderer, possibly. One could argue that he was simply on the losing side of a range war and the winners wrote the history.
Cop killer, true. Brady, Ollanger and Bell. IMHO, Brady's killing was more like the Godfather 1 cop killing - a corrupt, dirty cop. Bell was supposedly a friend, and Ollanger was just a thug who tormented Bonny. The last 2 are why the pardon should not have been granted.
And Richardson just milked this for all it was worth politically.
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Pardon him! Let him go!
Billy is dead and buried! How do we let him go?
I can understand that if someone keeps sending it to the Gov. through official channels that he has to consider it, but these people need to let it go! Besides, in this time of apologies can you imagine the dollars Pres. BHO would present to the heirs for wrongful imprisonment by a U.S. Marshall ... as he kissed their boots and begged forgiveness?
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From Path's post;
"One could argue that he was simply on the losing side of a range war and the winners wrote the history"
That sums it up.
As for being a "Cop killer" so what ? Are you going to also condemn the Virginia City Vigilance committee for hanging Henry Plummer, their stage robbing sheriff ?
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Guys, not to sound cynical, but did it occur to you that Richardson went through this whole rigamarole as part of his gubenatorial duty as "Tourism Booster in Chief"? The no pardon was a done deal. The fact that it was a drag show done in full western regalia, and just the sheer wierdness of it all guranteed media. It was about making folks think about visiting New Mexico for its frontier history. The governonr was just doining what every governonr does. Trying to get you to spend your money in his state. Plus, it was entertaining as hell, and when you're term limited, why not enjoy the perks? ;D
FQ13
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At least the time spent on this wasn't spent on taking away the rights of living folks.
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Billy the kid is an interesting figure who I've enjoyed reading about and you might find it interesting to know he was not the "stone cold killer" he was made out to be. Before the Lincoln County War, Billy would have only be considered a horse thief (the fact that this was a hanging offense is beside the point) ;D. He was hired in Lincoln County as security for one of the two ranches in the "war." The other ranch put in place the sheriff and deputies. Billy's employer was a new rancher who had a chance at getting a contract and the sheriff’s employer wanted the same contract the difference was the latter owned the town. So in this case the Law Enforcement was just as bad as the Kid. The war was truly about beef contracts for the US military.
TC
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Interesting too is the death of Pat Garrett, the lawman who aledgedly shot young Billy. His death in 1908 is surrounded in controvecy also.
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Guys, not to sound cynical, but did it occur to you that Richardson went through this whole rigamarole as part of his gubenatorial duty as "Tourism Booster in Chief"? The no pardon was a done deal. The fact that it was a drag show done in full western regalia, and just the sheer wierdness of it all guranteed media. It was about making folks think about visiting New Mexico for its frontier history. The governonr was just doining what every governonr does. Trying to get you to spend your money in his state. Plus, it was entertaining as hell, and when you're term limited, why not enjoy the perks? ;D
FQ13
I agree, FQ.
And there are precedents. I can think of two off hand.
Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa, for example. Nasty pirate, but the festival is a great time.
Same with Guy (Guido) Fawkes in Briton....another great party night commemorating his capture thus "On the night of November 5th, throughout Britain, we commemorate the capture of Guy Fawkes with bonfires and fireworks, and by burning an effigy of Guy"
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That was the actual origin of the doggerel from "V for Vendetta"
(And I have been told, "It's pronounced GEE " )
http://www.britannia.com/history/kaboom.html
"Remember, remember the fifth of November.
Gunpowder, Treason and Plot.
I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot."
This poetic little rhyme, still popular among children today, continues to remind us why, on the night of November 5th, bonfires surmounted by cloth manikins or "Guys" are set alight in every town and village in Britain amongst a blaze of celebratory fireworks:
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Billy the kid is an interesting figure who I've enjoyed reading about and you might find it interesting to know he was not the "stone cold killer" he was made out to be. Before the Lincoln County War, Billy would have only be considered a horse thief (the fact that this was a hanging offense is beside the point) ;D. He was hired in Lincoln County as security for one of the two ranches in the "war." The other ranch put in place the sheriff and deputies. Billy's employer was a new rancher who had a chance at getting a contract and the sheriff’s employer wanted the same contract the difference was the latter owned the town. So in this case the Law Enforcement was just as bad as the Kid. The war was truly about beef contracts for the US military.
TC
Maybe I've bought in to the romanticism, but I think he followed through with what most of us think about doing, but may never do - renegade justice. And the law in that town were probably dirty as the Kids underwear. We'll never know the facts truly, because the ones writing it were the ones who were dirty. Or those self-righteous enough to rid themselves of the gunslinger taboo.