COMMENTS About the McVeigh Execution from from visitors to kotv.com

Monday, June 11th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Several visitors to kotv.com have sent e-mail comments regarding the execution of Timothy McVeigh. These comments do not reflect the opinions of KOTV or kotv.com and are presented as a forum for the community.

You know listening to the execution of Timothy McVeigh this morning brought a lot of mixed emotion. I have two small children and have suffered the loss of a loved one unexpectedly. What Timothy McVeigh did was very wrong, and I believe that he deserved to die. But something that I think we should think about is, somewhere, somehow-someone failed in teaching this person. He is a year older than I and yet had enough anger for so many more years our age. Where and why did he feel this? And why has his mother not been seen or shown more than she has. That was her son, her own flesh and blood, but yet through this all I don't believe she was really ever there for him, during his youth nor this that he brought on himself. I feel that our future depends on us being good parents and even though what he does was not right, we all deserve good parents and someone to love us.

Name Withheld, age 32
Sand Springs, Oklahoma

I don't usually write about things like this but....
It is not the man necessarily we should be focusing on. All that was on TV this morning all three stations here carried extensive coverage of the execution. A couple of things come into play here. The foremost is that Satan won a victory in more ways than one. Satan took innocent lives in the Murrah building through one of his instruments, namely Timothy McVeigh. Those individuals if they were not saved did not have the opportunity to make a decision for Christ and therefore were lost and are now in Hell with no hope of salvation. Secondly, he claimed Timothy McVeigh. I, for one, have a hard time believing "Execution Day Salvation", not to say that God wouldn't accept his request for forgiveness, but the Word says that NO man cometh unto the Father but by me and that only when the Father draw him, John 6:44. In that case I am reading that verse to say that only through the Holy Spirit (because the Father is not here bodily), does someone receive salvation. Please understand that I am in no way saying that anyones salvation in not genuine it is just hard for me to accept that someone repents lacking sincerity. He did at least have the opportunity to ask, the people in the Murrah Building did not. They might have been presented with the gospel in their lifetime and not accepted, but most people given the ultimatum of death, would, if they believed there was a God, make reconciliation. Lastly and maybe of most importance, are his victims. Not the dead ones but the live ones. The people directly affected by the bombing, surviving victims, their relatives and relatives of dead. There are so many people that Satan has stolen from in the past 3 years that are directly connected to this tragedy. Mentally, emotionally and physically. Also, we must remember that Mr. McVeigh has family members. Despite his role in this atrocity, he is still someones son, brother, nephew, cousin, etc. Without a doubt these individuals are in great distress today. Can you imagine the hurt and anger they must have felt during the "coverage" of the execution. I can't. I remember the day my brothers died and to the world it was inconsequential. But to these people the death of their loved one was on exhibit for all the world to see. What a sad day this is for them. No privacy. Not to be able to mourn. Truly this has been a victory for Satan. Now it is time for us to put behind us the turmoil that he has inflected on us all and turn to the One who can give us hope. Hope that can heal wounded hearts, hurts and minds. Killing Timothy McVeigh was the consequences to the action he chose to commit 3 years ago. Now it's time for us to make a choice. Do we continue to mourn that which we cannot change? Or do we chose to remember the wonderfulness that was brought into all our lives through his victims? We must look forward. Through this we must all remember there are consequences to our actions. Not just consequences for us but all. The bible teaches that if we are a stumbling block for someone else we will be judged accordingly. Timothy McVeigh has received his judgment here. Now, what will ours be?

Judy Moore, 44
Sand Springs, OK

I watched your coverage this am concerning the McVeigh execution and I'm a very strong supporter of the death penalty probably in part because my daughter was murdered in Feb 1996 for a senseless reason like the Okc bombing these people got her purse with only .83 cents in it. I'm still very bitter about was has happened for the main reason that I will not get to watch these three people die. For those of you that are against the death penalty shame on you, for it's clear to me that you have no idea what the victims families all over this country are going through for the rest of their lives.

Fred Boyce, 53
Sapulpa, OK

You asked how we felt about Tim McVeighs' execution. All I could think of was that the priest that was interviewed is so misguided in his view of eternity. Tim is burning in hell this very moment. And I'm not happy about this. I wish it could have been different, that maybe he had asked God's forgiveness, that he would have had final words asking for forgiveness instead of his definance, instead of the poem indicating that he was not sorry. This is a sad day in that Tim McVeigh was not saved.
Olga Hoenes, 45
Tahlequah, OK

As I sat this morning watching your program, I felt sad for the victim's families. I felt sad for McViegh's family, but I did not feel sad for Tim McViegh. I feel he got what he deserved. His actions not only the 168 lives he took, and the families of those victims, he affected everyone in the heartland of Amercia by removing that sense of security that something of this magnitude could happen here. No longer will we ever feel safe about where we live.

I hope the punishment McViegh received will send a message to others that these types of violent crimes will not be tolerated in America. That they won't be able to sit in prison and gloat over what they did. These people should be held accountable. If they're not held accountable here, they will be in the hereafter, and I don't think God will have mercy on them.

Cindy, 42
Smalltown, OK

With all that has happend today June 11,2001. Why do they have to go step by step how he died. I thought that was so very wrong.My six year old girl had many questions to follow what she heard.yes, I hope this will help the people from OK. city to get a pice of mind. I wish that they would of not done what they did to tell about the death.Sure there are some people that want to I'm not one of them. I was very hurt by the way all of this was done.I hope this goes fine. All so for all that has had a loved one that has died or had gotten hurt. May this help to heal all the hearts that have been hurt.

Marie, 26
Sapulpa, OK

Now that the sentence has been carried out on the OKC bombing.. let get our live going forward again!!! Life should go on.. Yes it is very bad what was done by him but did it change anything except I hope get the survivors to move forward with life!!!

Anonymous

When we as a society murdered McVeigh today, we became no better than he. The person or the entity with the most power can yield the most damage; McVeigh had the power on April 19th; we (under the cloak of justice) had the power today. I grieve for all those lost; including McVeigh; My prayer is that someday soon we will abolish the death penalty and remember that we didn't create the life and it is not our job to take it ... under any circumstances.

Anonymous

My best friend was a Tulsa Fire Captain, that for 4 days sifted through the remains of the nursery of the Murrah Building. Sadly he was killed in an auto accident this past year. I know that he would be thrilled that McVeigh was executed this morning. The idea of McVeigh standing before his judgment of the Good Lord himself and the 168 victims as his jury makes the greatest sense. But, my friend, if here today, would tell you let's not forget those that was impacted as well. The nurse that committed suicide and others. Too, let's not show our anger to Bill McVeigh and the remainder of the McVeigh family for something they had no part it. So in reality, we have more than 168 victims that were waiting for McVeigh on his Judgment Day and I find comfort knowing that he does burn in hell. Thanks!!!!!

Anonymous

This is an instance in which "go to hell" has true meaning. I believe Timothy James McVeigh is there now, or speedily on his way there.
The only way he could hope to atone for the loss of life is to give his own. Now, it's in His hands. I don't know if McVeigh will ever gain forgiveness in the next life. I can't see how he will.

Marcella Watson, 40
Hominy, OK

God know's i'm no saint but the man get what he deserves anyone who would kill in any manner much less the way he did deserves to die themselves.

Doug

I feel for the families of the victims and thanking god justice is served for all the children and adults that were killed in the ok city boming and my respect go out to the victims families and may the victims souls rest in peace.

Melissa Esparza, 20
Tulsa

I think McVeigh should have been kept in a 6X6 cell, given 3 hospital meals a day and never let out of the cell. He should have been given no books, TV, radio, time, date, nothing. Just to set there day after day becoming a very old man very quickly. That is what he did not want.

Carol Shoulders, 34
Tulsa

Seeing images of McVeigh, hearing his last meal request, thinking of his family, imagining his how he may feel facing death, may lead people to feel sympathy for a fellow human. If so, they should imagine their child or parent dying in the explosion and notice how that sympathy dissapates.

Tom Neal, 52
Tulsa

I am am absolutely sick and tired of hearing all the nonstop discussion on my television about Tim McVeigh and the countdown to his execution. He has made it clear by his actions that he has no remorse.

I am so tired of hearing about him. I think we should be hearing more about the victims, survivors, their families and the many heroes from that horrible day! How many names of victims do we know? The media has made Tim McVeigh a household name, yet we canot even recall one victim's name.

It seems to me that there are a lot of other things more worthy of reporting on than this. I for one....am changing channels everytime I hear his name...I will not buy anything that tells his story or glorifies his execution.

I do believe his execution can bring final closure to this tragedy and healing for the families. By the way, the FAMILIES are the ones that deserve to be heard, respected, and honored - NOT McVeigh. Tim McVeigh does not deserve another moments worth of attention in the public eye.

anonymous

The fact that Timothy McVeigh has bee executed does not bring back the victims who died in the OKC Bombing. It was not a punishment for him, he is in his mind at least a martyr for his cause... and he got what he wanted... a punishment for him would have been a solitary confinement for the rest of his life, with no fun things such as cable TV. The execution of Tim McVeigh only makes the government guilty of legal murder.

Catherine Moore, 59
Tulsa, OK

Enough about Tim McVeigh. Please give us a rest about him. God will deal with him now. I hope you don't even mention his name on TV from now on.

Betty Barger, 72
Pryor, OK

I want to let the victims family's know that my heart goes out to them. I don't know what you must be feeling but I do know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Just don't give up living. Thank you and god bless you all.

Erin Hanson, 21
Tulsa

I see that everyone is finaly getting their revenge for the bombing of the Murrah Building in OKC.I have watched countless Hours of news programming and I am disturbed by the fact that most people cannot see the truth and you are not reporting the truth.
The truth is that the government Knew that women and children were inside the compound in Waco yet they attacked with tanks and murdered everyone inside but that was fine. Yet when Tim Mcveigh bombed the Murrah building and killed women and children he was deemed a criminal and sentenced to death and today that murder was carried out by the government in the name of justice where is the justice and closure for the families of the women and children murdered in Waco by your government.the sad truth is that other Patriots like Tim Mcveigh will continue to defend their freedom against an out of control government and people will continue to die In the name of justice the same justice that withheld evidence in Mcveighs case the same justice and courts that stole the election for Bush Jr. wake up people.

Adam Morgan, 36
Tulsa

Tim McVeigh's Views on Captital Punishment
Interviewer: Tim, what are your views on capital punishment?
Tim: I believe that when one takes the life of another, that they should forfeit their own. I don't believe in letting someone get away with murder!
Interviewer: Do you see anything inhumane about the manner in which our society carries out executions?
Tim: Our society's methods are way too soft on the way it executes it's convicted murderers - personally, I would like for us to strap exposives around them and blow them to smitherines! I admit, that if I was an executioner, I would have difficulty with stopping at executing the condemned - I would tend to get out of control and proceed to blowing up the witnesses and, well, hell - I'll blow 'em all up!
Interviewer: What about the concept of a fair trial?
Tim: Not much for it - waste of time! I'll be the judge and jury! There will be no last meals, last visits, expensive attorneys and, blah, blah, blah - only hell exacted by my own hands, in the time and manner defined by me - I'll be the master of it all!
Interviewer: What about the possibility that some of your condemned might be innocent?
Tim: Their life doesn't mean a plug nickle to me! If they are in the way - well, tough! You know, we could save a lot of money if we just blew up every jail and prison in the U.S.
Interviewer: What would you say to a murderer that claimed to the master of his fate and the master of his soul?
Tim: Not if I get my explosives on them! Besides, could someone that was so desperately trying to get away from the scene of their crime to avoid capture really have claim to be the master of anything when they are captured?
Interviewer: thank you, Mr. McVeigh.
Tim: Thank you - say, is that a pipe bomb under your chair?
Interviewer: Uh..
Tim: Just kidding.....heh, heh - got a rise from you all though, didn't I?

Bob Cooper
Tulsa, OK

It is my opinion that Timothy McVeigh, as well as the rest of the incarcerated population, enjoyed entirely too many priveleges and rights. It is my wish that the American judicial system take a look at, and perhaps redefine, exactly what an admitted killer is entitled to, which in my book would be nothing more than basic food, shelter and clothing. Cable television, choice of entree', exercise equipment and more are extended to murderers and rapists while there exist common people who cannot afford even the slightest of luxury American prisoners indulge in.
It is time to turn prison sentences back into such, and do away with the Country Club Confinement.

Marie, 36
Wagoner, OK

I am opposed to the execution of Tim McVeigh, I am also opposed to the Oklahoma City bombing people watching the execution. McVeigh was convicted of killing 8 Federal agents not the 160 Oklahomans killed. Those that would watch the execution would also watch the lions eat the Christians in biblical times. Sick!!

My best friend had his granddaughter killed in the OK City bombing on his birthday, I watched the torment in him until he died. Thats why I feel the way I feel, with no conviction there really isnt any closure for 160 families.

Name Withheld, 57
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Just two comments about McVeigh's final statement: (1)I think he showed his arrogance right up to the end: NO ONE was going to dictate how his life or death was going to proceed. Not the government, his attornies. (2)I do not think that they were the words of a remorseful man nor a man who had made peace with God. As a Christian, I know that I am neither the 'master of my fate' nor 'the captain of my soul.'
Thank you.

Jean, 53
Broken Arrow

My prayers are with the familys of those who died on april 19,1995 and with his family. I hope that everyone can forgive him for what he said he did in oklahoma city, because I know that is what God would want us to do. but I know that will be hard to do for the families as well as the United States and the World. My heart goes out to his parents and family. My hope is that this will never happen again heere or anywhere else. May God forgive him and all who may of helped do this. I am so sorry for everyone including Timothy McVeigh. The law of the land has prevailed and has justice.

Connie Sherfy , 53
Tulsa

He didn't have to have a last word. He still speaks.through the book and the mayhem he caused. I got angry reading the statement "it was the nature of the beast" He was the beast and I do not need any person to murder on my behalf as an American. I love my country and if I wanted to change it I have the power. Through vote,not murder.I would have liked to slap his face before God got ahold of him. God, bless Oklahoma and may the victims rest in peace now.Timothy McViegh victimized all of America and I am glad justice has been served.

Dolores Voight, 48
Owasso,OK