An acquaintance of mine who is active in the militant anti-abortion movement claims that the reason Eric Rudolph was allowed to cop a plea bargain and avoid execution is that President Bush plans to pardon him. She says that Rudolph is a hero, that one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter, and that Bush sees it the same way. Rudolph will do a few years jail time and Bush will pardon him as his last offical act in office, when he doesn't have to worry about public reaction. The next President will already have been elected, giving a four-year period for outrage to cool off.
I can't see anybody this side of Lavrenti Beria pardoning Rudolph, but she seems to have the whole thing worked out. She says it's common knowledge in the hard-core "pro-life" movement. What do you think?
Hopefully it's just wishful thinking. If this terrorist (and he is indeed a terrorist) is let off... He is a murderer and a psychotic loonie. He was allegedly a member of the "Christian Identity" group, a sect that holds that white Christians are God's chosen people, and that others will be condemned to Hell. Sound like lovely individuals...
How much damage would a pardon do? Perhaps some right wing lunatics would see it as a green light to bomb abortion clinics, gay/lesbian meetings, etc. Maybe not. Either way, Rudolph does not deserve to breathe free air.
