Some Balk at Pardon for Rosa Parks

[Jim]

http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2006/03/20/140335-some-balk-at-pardon-for-rosa-parks
During the 50th anniversary of the Montgomery bus boycott last year, civil rights leaders called for a pardon of Rosa Parks over her arrest for refusing to give up her seat to a white man.

But now, some — including the pastor of the church Parks attended in Montgomery — are coming out against the idea.

Personally, I think it is honorable to pardon those who were arrested for civil-rights issues. I'm surprised this didn't happen long ago.

There is nothing wrong with pardoning her. I don't see how it is the wrong thing to do.

[Old Corps Gunny]

I can see how some die-hard white supremacists would be against a pardon; but I don't understand why the pastor of a church she attended would be against it. It would only be long-delayed justice. Further justice would be for the pastor to able to satisfactorily explain to his congregation why he opposes a pardon or for them to choose someone else to be their spiritual and moral guide.

[PittsburghAfterDark]

They don't want it pardoned because they forever want to label the incident as a horrible racist event with a martyr.

If they absolve the crime it never happened.

Therefore her stature in history is lessened.

What's the point of having a hero and icon for civil disobedience if they never really broke the law? You erase the crime, you erase the hero.

[Churchel]

They don't want it pardoned because they forever want to label the incident as a horrible racist event with a martyr.

If they absolve the crime it never happened.

Therefore her stature in history is lessened.

What's the point of having a hero and icon for civil disobedience if they never really broke the law?Â*Â*You erase the crime, you erase the hero.


To add to your statement, it is also about losing the public record of what was considered criminal.