Pope's Assassin To Be Free?

The man who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981 will be freed from a Turkish prison soon. Actually, this will be the second time Mehmet Ali Agca has been freed after serving time for murderous activities.

Agca served 19 years in an Italian prison for the attempted murder of the pope, when the pope pardoned him. Agca was then sent to Turkey authorities to serve time for murdering a journalist in 1979. Agca will possibly be released as early as tomorrow for good behavior.

Let's put this picture of a prisoner against another, who recently received a different fate for his actions: Stanley "Tookie" Williams, who was executed on Tuesday, December 13, 2005 after being on death row for 24 years. Williams was accused of brutally murdering 4 people in 1979, although he adamantly maintained his innocence in the case.

Williams, a five-time Nobel nominee, had gone on serving his time and showing that he changed his life by actively promoting anti-gang agenda and writing children's books to keep kids out of gangs (although he was a violent inmate until 1993). He even cooperated with the guards during his final moments.

Apparently, Turkey and the United States has different definitions for punishment and mercy.

In our capitalist society, maybe capital punishment is just another way of showing how capitalism works.