In a fun twist on the White House tradition of sparing the life of at least one turkey around Thanksgiving, the mayor of Florida’s Miami-Dade County has for the seventh year running issued a ceremonial pardon for two baby pigs (Herald, Dec. 20).
Instead of gracing the dinner table as barbecued ham at “nochebuena,” Cuban Americans’ Christmas Eve feast, the 4-month old pigs, Glinda and Elphaba, will spend their lives at an animal sanctuary south of Miami.
Merry Christmas, piglets and turkeys. Merry Christmas, readers.
It is a good day to practice mercy. Acts of compassion and forgiveness toward someone or something it is within one’s power to harm are virtues we would all benefit from practicing more of, throughout the year.
Today is a day that 2 billion people worldwide in over 160 countries, and 90% of Americans, commemorate the birth of Jesus. The heart of his message, known as the Gospel (or Good News) of Jesus Christ, is about the Kingdom of God coming to Earth.
Atheists, bear with us. His message was also about love (thy neighbor), mercy (people should be merciful) and peace (replacing hate with love and anger with kindness) will all bring one closer to God.
Or whatever your version of God may be.
It is during this holiday season, from Thanksgiving through New Years, that acts of mercy abound.
On Nov. 25, President Joe Biden kicked off the holiday season at the White House issuing his final reprieve to two turkeys, Peach and Blossom, during the 77th turkey pardoning.
He didn’t stop there.
On Dec. 2, Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, sparing him a possible prison sentence for gun and tax convictions, both federal felonies. Ten days later, he granted clemency to almost 1,500 Americans who have shown successful rehabilitation, family and community reintegration, and 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes, the single largest one-day granting of clemency in modern day history.
And on Monday, Biden granted clemency to 37 of 40 federal death row inmates, converting their sentences to life imprisonment without parole.
Commuting the sentences of federal death row inmates is an act of clemency consistent with the Biden administration’s moratorium on federal executions other than for acts of terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.
In his official statement, Biden said that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. The Herald’s editorial board believes so, too. We have long advocated for abolishing the death penalty, without exceptions, at all levels of government, as Colorado did first in 1897 and most recently in March of 2020.
Gov. Jared Polis followed the president’s lead when on Dec. 20 he granted four commutations and 22 pardons to people convicted of various crimes in the state, including two people sentenced to life in prison for murder who will now be eligible for parole. In one of those cases, the victim’s family supported the clemency application.
The desire to live is universal. Taking a life is immoral and the most basic violation of human rights. Jesus’ teachings are also universal and transcend religion and Christmas.
In the words of American folk singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier, “Every single one of us could use some mercy now.”
