Re:Sirhan Sirhan

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Not only was Robert Francis Kennedy a leading voice of his generation, a genuine friend to the disenfranchised, and a leading competitor for the presidency he was the father of ten children. When Sirhan Sirhan assassinated him he took all that my away.

One could argue that Sirhan Sirhan killed two Kennedys that night. David Kennedy was thirteen years old at the time and watched his father shot in the head on live television. This is only mere weeks after his father saved his life when he was caught in a riptide off the Malibu coast. The event left an emotional scar on David and he began recreational drug use shortly thereafter.

David Kennedy was found dead of a drug overdose in a Palm Beach hotel room at the age of twenty-nine.

I oppose the death penalty with every fiber of my being and my default position in any situation is always life. However, some crimes so shock the conscience and their ramifications so profound that the perpetrators should live out their lives behind bars. The assassination of Robert Kennedy was one of those crimes.

[Beatlelvr]

1. Bobby was the real deal

I was in high school in 1968 and his assassination just destroyed me. I couldn't go to school for a couple days I was so upset. Just imagine if he had won the nomination and election. This man, coming from wealth and privlege, actually CARED about those less fortunate. He had smarts and compassion. I know hindsight is 20-20 and he wasn't a perfect person, but my god, what a difference he could have made.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. He wasn't a cardboard saint

But at the end of his life he was close as you can be to a conviction politician and actually win a presidential election

[SCantiGOP]

3. I agree 100%

No death penalty, but Sirhan should live the rest of his days in prison.
This might be a very different nation, and world, had Bobby been President in 1968 instead of Nixon.

[Thunderbeast]

4. In high school, I volunteered for his Oregon Primary campaign.

Shook his hand at a rally the week before.

He was the Democratic candidate that promised to:

End the Vietnam War
Continue the War on Poverty
Fight for racial justice

Unlike Eugene McCarthy (also a great man by the way), Kennedy had great odds if defeating Richard Nixon in the 1968 election.

Just weeks after the assassination of Dr. King, the nation was in absolute crisis. Nixon promised to end the war (he lied), and bring "law and order" to the "silent majority".

Nixon went on to cut an illegal secret pre-election deal with Hanoi, stopping the peace talks and sealing his own victory. The war continued until after his disgraceful resignation.

With his "impulsive action" Sirhan Sirhan changed the course of history, and fostered hopeless cynicism at a time when when the country could not afford it.

[Klaralven]

5. How long do you suppose Sirhan Sirhan will last outside of prison?

[NYC Liberal]

6. Depends on what they think of him in Jordan, where he'll be deported.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

8. Where he'll get a hero's welcome like Abdelbaset al-Megrahi in Libya!

He didn’t belong in prison, he belonged under it.

[KS Toronado]

12. You're probably correct......

for that fact alone that he might be given a hero's welcome overseas,
is why we should keep him locked up for life.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. I doubt King Abdullah wants to piss off America.

He's also a pretty moderate guy as far as Middle Eastern monarchs go

[LeftInTX]

24. Sirhan is a Jordanian citizen

Sirhan was born a Christian and is still a Christian and it looks like Jordan has a decent sized Christian community...

However, Jordan may have no choice but to accept him....

[DemocratSinceBirth]

35. They might accept him but he won't get a hero's welcome.

I'm passionate about this because RFK Is one of my heroes and I don't have many. In fact he's one of four- John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Muhammad Ali.

[LeftInTX]

37. I don't want him released. I'm sure the governor will do what he did with Leslie Van Houten

[Klaralven]

13. That may take some time. Meanwhile, he intends to live with his brother in Los Angeles

[NYC Liberal]

28. Yes, that's what I read too.

[Treefrog]

19. I thought he had a brother here.

Who he was going to live with?

[totodeinhere]

11. According to actuarial tables, a 77 year old man can expect to live 11 years. n/t

[Stinky The Clown]

7. I agree with every word of your post.

Like you, I am unequivocally opposed to the death penalty. In its place is life imprisonment, generally but n to always without the possibility of parole. Sirhan is one such case. I hope he does not get parole.

[totodeinhere]

9. As you know, the Parole Board's actions are just a suggestion.

Last edited Sat Aug 28, 2021, 02:00 PM - Edit history (1)

He can't actually be released unless the governor signs off on it. It will be interesting to see what Newsom does. With that close recall election hanging over his head, I think there is a good chance that he might reject Sirhan's release.

Edit - This information is wrong so I am retracting it. Sorry for the misinformation.

[former9thward]

22. Newsom doesn't get the parole decision for 90 days.

The recall election will be long over by then no matter what the results.

[totodeinhere]

27. OK thank you for the clarification.

I retract that comment.

[appleannie1]

10. My brother Jack worked for RFK during his campaign.

The family requested he drive one of the cars in the procession to Arlington. He had wanted to accompany Bobby to California but Bobby said he would probably need him more in Illinois. I know what an emotional effect it had on Jack when he was killed. He lost most of his hope for the future for one thing. I can't even imagine what the family went through. And being in the eye of the public did not help at all. Every move they made was inspected and magnified by the press.

[keithbvadu2]

14. Keep him in prison

[pazzyanne]

15. My heart hit the floor when I read Sirhan Sirhan had been recommended for release.

He deserves the same fate (dying in prison) as Charles Matson imho.

[yardwork]

16. I don't believe that the governor will release him.

I agree with your post. We still don't know why and how this assassination was planned.

[Brother Buzz]

26. He stepped in and reversed parole decisions of 'Manson family' members and he'll do the same here

The only reason Sirhan Sirhan is up for parole is that he's 'grandfathered' in with a sentence that didn't stipulate 'No possibility of parole' on his life sentence. California has since closed the loophole.

[LeftInTX]

31. We had mandatory 30 year release in Texas

And there was a serial killer who was gonna be let out in 2018

At the time of her sentencing, no one could imagine the day that she would be turned lose. She had a life sentence.

Fortunately in 2017, the DA was able to prosecute her for another murder, so she's staying put...

[ShazzieB]

38. Genene Jones, the killer nurse.

Fascinating and chilling case. I was following that story closely when it looked like she might be released and was so relieved when they came up with another murder to pin on her.

Like many serial killers, she is guilty of many more murders than she will ever be convicted of, thanks in large part to a hospital that elected to kick the can down the road by pushing her out of her job and covering up evidence. She then went on to kill more kids before she was finally caught.

[marieo1]

17. Agreement

Thank you so much..........

[LAS14]

20. Apparently two of his sons supported the parole. Did I get this wrong? nt

[former9thward]

23. No you aren't.

RFK Jr and Doug supported it.

[BannonsLiver]

25. As far as I can tell

The primary argument for letting him out is “well it was a long time ago” or “he’s no threat to anyone.”

Neither are very compelling IMO.

[H2O Man]

29. Eleven children .....

[OhioBlue]

32. True, but at the time of his death, Ethel was still pregnant with Rory.

[mdelaguna]

30. Meanwhile, Leonard Peltier...nt

[frogmarch]

33. ...is where he belongs. nt

[Crunchy Frog]

34. I've always felt like that assassination stole my country's future before I was even old enough

to know what was happening.

What would this country look like today if it hadn't happened?

[Upthevibe]

39. DemocratSinceBirth....

Thank you for your concise and well thought out post. I agree with you 100%.

[honest.abe]

40. Agreed.

No parole for a crime this enormous.