The bitter side of democracy ...

[scottishlass]

Please ignore this post if you are not interested in politics and German history - thank you.


In the 70s West Germany was swept over by a wave of leftist terrorism and a lot of politicians, allied forces personnel and bodyguards died at the hand of a ruthless group of terrorists that called themselves R.A.F. (Red Army Fraction). They called themselves fighters for the free will of the people, fighting against the government which they thought was fascist, fought against capitalism and had a huge chip on their shoulder in general. They bombed, they kidnapped and killed mercilessly and one by one the government brought them down and brought them to justice. All of them were trialed for life and some killed themselves during prison.

Now, in a democracy like Germany, for life means that any prisoner's case can be petitioned after 25 years. If that prisoner has led a quiet life and nothing of any infraction has occured during those 25 years of prison, he has to get released for a second chance.

Yesterday, they announced that top terrorist Christian Klar who confimedly killed 8 ppl is to be released on January 3rd, 2009. That means for each life he took, he only spent 2.5 years in prison. He never gave any information to the whereabouts of his fellow terrorists nor did he tell who exactly killed whom during the kidnappings and the bombings.
He just kept silent and if he said anything, he said and this is confirmed, that he would do it again.

Now this guy is to be released, because like any other prisoner here in Germany, he deserves a second chance.

A second chance at what??? Killing another 8 ppl? A second chance at wrecking another 8 families
taking their sons, fathers, brothers and husbands?? Taking countless lives not actually related to the group, making Germany half-crazy because of the open street killings and bombings? Of having your cars etc. checked and re-checked by police for bombs?

As a child, living in the 70s and early 80s, was dangerous. Esp. when you lived in Cologne or Düsseldorf where a lot of assassinations occurred on the open streets. It was pure paranoia and survival instinct to duck and cover when you heard a pop or blast. Even today, I'm conditioned to duck and cover when I hear a false ignition by a car.

Terrorists are not normal prisoners. They fought against the very system that now grants them mercy and none of them really said I'm sorry to the families who lost their loved ones due to their actions. Not once ... not one of them.

links:
Red Army Fraction on wikipedia

Comments

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I am still for mercy to everyone and for equal right for everyone. These questions came through my head when two boys who tortured and killed a toddler were preparing to be released here (what are these children if they killed a baby? How come thry had a better education in prison than their ppers?) but I kind of prefer mercy for eveyone

[rika-66.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I read about that crazy leftisits in W. Germany and I remember ppl speaking about it, I'm old enough to remember. Also I understand your feeling of insecurity quite well: my childhood in 70-s was very secure, in the USSR terrorism almost didn't exist; but later, in 90-s and early 2000 here we also went through the period of violent terrorism, with a lot of attacs. And I still feel that fear. Till now, when I see lost bag in metro or at bus stop, my first thought - that it could be a bomb.

Well, if to speak about the "second chance" for that terrorist... This is a complicated question and personally I don't know the correct answer on it. 25 years - is a very long time for human's life. This person could change... But may be he did not. I don't think he's really dangerous any more and that being released, he will try to go on with terrorism. The world has changed since 70-s and normally radical ideas that could be attractive in silly youth do not suit ppl in their 50-s.

But than this is one more question, of retaliation... Honestly I think that for some crimes should be punished by death penalty. Terrorism - IMHO, is one of such crimes.

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

You said it ... retaliation ... those men he killed either by bomb or by gun didn't have a second chance. I can still see the black and white footage of the kidnapping in 1977 where they had stopped a MP's car and that car was just a wreck ... and dead bodies lying around the car, all bodyguards and/or innocent passers by.

THis guy, Klar, has said (last year never the less) that he can still identify with the ideologies of R.A.F. and even if he is now going onto 60, this guy could become an icon again. The last R.A.F. incident was in 2001 even though they declared their disbandment in 1998. Baader-Meinhof were the first generation and he belongs to the second generation of R.A.F. leaders. If he is not supervised closely I fear he will pick up where he left in 1982.

[rika-66.livejournal.com]

Well, if he's such kind of fanatic, definitely he should stay in prison till the end of his life.

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

Of course anyone deserves a second chance, but thos he killed didn't have any second chances.

We have laws where you can extent the life sentence to real life if the public might be in danger if the prisoner is released after 25 years. Why they didn't apply this law to this terrorist is beyond me as he has openly declared only last year that he still identifies with the ideologies of R.A.F. Would the British government release a trialed and sentenced IRA terrorist who has announced in an interview that he still wants to free Ulster off Protestans and the Brits? I don't think so.

[koellegirl.livejournal.com]

Una - I agree on all points with you. Eight lifes are lost because of him, and we don't know how man have been damaged.
The street here in Cologne, were they kidnapped Hanns Martin Schleyer and killed his driver and two bodyguards is still marked with flowers and a cross. I pass there frequently - always reminded of this time, where we were just frightend and confused.
I have seen the movie, Der Baader-Mainhof-Komplex, in order to get more information and input about this group, but I was even less able to understand their motivation.
There certainly was enough wrong to protest, but to kill, to kidnap. No!!!!
He should stay in prison - rot there - my greatest fear is also, that he could become an icon for some extreme left-wing group.
Even if he does no longer participate - he could be the reason.

To all those who speak of forgivness - I can only forgive people who repent - he does not!

[traumjaegerin.livejournal.com]

Well said! That was my thought on that incident as well. In fact I'm some years to remember the times the RAF was at large (born '82) but still it gives me the creeps to think that someone like Christian Klar who doesn't seem to have learned a single thing while in prison, can be free again. Even if he doesn't kill again, he will become an icon for all those radical leftists that still exist...

[back2real.livejournal.com]

wow. I can't believe they're letting prisoners like that go free! thanks for the history lesson. I don't think that everyone deserves a "second chance".

[lydzi-de-galles.livejournal.com]

I saw the movie about the
Baader Meinhof Complex (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765432/) just last week (wasn't very good but it had the positive action of making me more aware about German history ^^).

Seeing how the RAF worked, I'm not really inclined either to let someone who has been part of it a second chance. Then again, I doubt that he does it again for multiple reasons... but you never know. He could become a new guru. Youth can be in awe with such a figure.

He just kept silent and if he said anything, he said and this is confirmed, that he would do it again.
Didn't he wrote an apologize letter?

Hum, now that I think of it, is the government winning something with this release? I dont see why they are releasing him now, in a time where everyone is talking about how bad terrorism is. That's not making any sense.