Am I glad my Mum died?

A year ago last week my dear old Mum died aged 83. She was racked with pain from Osteo-arthritis, she'd nearly gone blind, she was deaf. She could only walk a few yards following a stroke. She couldn't talk properly as she suffered from jargon dysphasia. She'd had several operations to alleviate spinal pain caused by a crumbling spine. She required help getting up, had meals on wheels for lunch and a dinner supplied by us or one of my sisters. One of my Sisters stayed with her three days a week, putting her own life on hold. Another one delayed plans to move from Edgware. She wasn't easy, she was completely unreasonable much of the time. Once her eyesight failed she had one pleasure in life - boozing. She'd share a guinness with me every night & then I'd pour her a large scotch for her bedside table.

I was in LA when I got the call to say she'd had a massive stroke and died. It was unexpected. How did I feel? I was devastated. I miss her like hell. Sure she was cranky as hell. She lead my sisters a merry dance, but why shouldn't she? She never lost her marbles & was as sharp as a button when it mattered. She hated how she'd become and regularly asked my big brother if she could borrow his shotgun to end it all. We knew she didn't mean it. She'd fought all manner of diseases and won, Diptheria, Cancer, Strokes, Ulcers, Pneumonia, and a few other I've forgotten. She had six children & a full life. My sister told me that she thought that when my mother realised the time had finally come to depart, she seemed more surprised than anything else.

So with all her problems and suffering was I pleased that her suffering ended? Well I thought I wasn't, the I read this article in the Edgware Times. Mikal Raven (aka Brian James Sweeney) aged 38, robbed, sexually assaulted and murdered 60 year old Sylvia Wilson. The judge said that he was more motivated by sadistic pleasure than greed and sentanced him to a minimum of 18 years. That means that he'll only be 56 when he's released. How would I felt if a 56 year old monster such as him had moved in next to my mum. I can sleep soundly at night knowing she's in a better place. How many people such as me will wake up to find that a monster such as Sweeney has defiled there elderly mothers. I read the story and was, for the first time, rather pleased she's not here.

People such as Sweeney have given up the right to mercy and clemency. When should they be released? When they pose no conceivable threat to vulnerable old dear such as Mrs Wilson or my mum. Generally that means they'd leave in a box. I'm sorry to say that I wouldn't want to take the chance with my mum when she was alive. I wouldn't want to take the chance with yours either. Scumbags such as Sweeney deserve no second chance, end of story. If they ever are truly repentant, they'd willingly serve their time out. If they are not, then they don't deserve to be released.