Monday, February 22, 2010

When life puts a pastor to the test

I try to live my values, but sometimes my passions get to me. I am against the death penalty, but I’ve said “that man deserves to die" too many time to count. Once I come back to my senses, I usually go back to my default position – the state makes to many mistakes to allow them the authority to end a life, and Texas makes the most mistakes of all.

MiltonGobert Milton Dwayne Gobert tied up a Mel Cotton and her 5-year-old son during a robbery in 2003. He stabbed Cotton to death and attempted to do the same thing to the boy. He admits to killing Cotton, but does not want to face the death penalty. His brother Michael Gobert is an associate pastor, his quote is odd.

Michael Gobert, an associate pastor at Little Vine Baptist Church in Manor, said that his brother made a mistake that day but that he is "not a monster" and his life is worth sparing.

"I believe in my brother, and I believe that my brother would never openly and willingly take a life," Michael Gobert said.

His brother admits to the crime. How else do you define the word monster?

a cruel wicked and inhuman person

Does stabbing a woman to death after tying her up qualify Gobert as a monster? Does stabbing a 5-year-old boy qualify Gobert as a monster? Does leaving the boy to die qualify Gobert as a monster? Yes! Milton Gobert is a monster.

Michael Gobert is blinded by his sibling relationship. Referencing Michael’s position as a pastor is bad reporting, shame on you Steven Kreytak. Michael is not acting as a pastor, he’s acting as a brother. Would the press have granted me the same courtesy? Milton’s brother Joe, an IT Manager, said… No. It is absurd.

Should Milton Gobert die? No, but it is Texas and he has very little hope of escaping the executioner. He’s admitted to the crime, lock him away for the rest of his live.

The real test of a person is what they do under pressure. If Michael Gobert cannot see the reality of his brother’s crimes and rise above them to present an argument based on the inhuman practice of capital punishment, why should we listen to him at all?