Denied her wish to see her husband's killer executed when the state abolished the death penalty two years ago, Marilyn Flax sent John Martini, the man who kidnapped and murdered her beloved Irving, an anonymous letter.
She wrote that God created heaven -- and hell for a select few.
"And I know that when you die, that's where you will be going. I know your soul will be tormented forever and ever," Flax, 63, said yesterday, recalling the letter she wrote late last year. "I wanted to have the last word."
This seems to be the normal reaction. Those few who can actually forgive are the rare lucky ones.
Martini who was suffering from a number of ailments, died in the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton the other day. "That's the only comfort I can get" out of his death, Flax said in a telephone interview from her home in North Jersey. "It's finally over."
What's your opinion? Do you think Mrs. Flax will really experience comfort now that the killer is dead? Do you find her attitude one of vengeance-seeking or justice-seeking? How do you think you would react in her situation?
Please leave a comment.
The worst part is that Martini will only die that one death.
ReplyDeleteSo you find find that Christianity's capacity to forgive is noble, but it's mandate to defend oneself if given the tools is somehow wrong? Vengence is mine sayeth the Lord, but have we ever figured out how God carries out that vengence? If God carried out that vengence by inspiring Mrs. Flax to write a letter that comforts her in her grief, then that's an efficient god.
ReplyDeleteTop of the Chain, Thanks for the comment. The mandate to defend oneself is an interesting concept. I think some of you guys take it a bit too far.
ReplyDeleteIn the post my question about Mrs. Flax was, do you really think she got comfort out of writing that vengeful letter? I don't. I don't believe family members of victims get comfort that way. The rare ones who can forgive get it.
Do you know Mrs. Flax's mind? In regards to her comfort. I don't, I can only guess. However she did state for the record that it was the only comfort she could get. Seems to me that while not totally satisfying her, it gave her a measure of comfort.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, exactly how, in your opinion, do we take self defense too far?
ReplyDeleteBy taking it a bit too far I mean shooting an offender too quickly. Some of those so-called DGUs are really murder disguised.
ReplyDeleteSome of those so-called DGUs are really murder disguised.
ReplyDeleteAccording to you, who were not, I'm guessing, in the courtroom to hear the totality of the evidence, but claim to somehow know better than the people who are in a position to know as much as can be known about these shootings. Omniscience must be nice.