Apologies to Tamerlan

 Mono Lake - photo by JoAnn Sturman 

Scott Sturman

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is a rare inherited disease of uric acid metabolism which causes mental retardation and self mutilating behavior.  The United States Justice Department’s interpretation of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s Miranda rights confirms the syndrome is well represented in the current Attorney General’s office.

Michael Mukasey, former Attorney General of the United States and District Judge of New York, wrote an excellent piece, “Defining Rights in a Terror Case,” in the Wall Street Journal detailing the law which balances defendant’s rights and the compelling need to extract intelligence in cases involving terrorism.  Mr. Mukasey puts to rest any concerns that Tsarnaev’s Miranda rights were violated and questions why the Obama Administration prematurely curtailed the FBI’s investigation.  Since the law does not allow any information gathered during questioning related to terrorism to be used against a defendant in a criminal case, one wonders why the Obama Administration chose to intervene before the inquiry could be concluded.  Theories abound, but it could be another case of self castigation, extending obsequious apologies to the Islamic world, or demonstrating to the world once again of our ultimate fairness.

Like Shi’a pilgrims flagellating themselves to prove their piety, two UCLA professors were quick to point out that much of the fault of the Boston massacre must be borne by the people of the United States.  Despite our generosity, the Tsarnaev’s reprehensible conduct was in large part due to our lack of understanding and inability to assimilate them into the culture.  The point of view is so asinine that it does not merit comment, other than it is shameful these two warped academics are in a position to infect students in the classroom with their self loathing. 

A joke comes to mind, which describes the mentality of those who think we should take the sword for others' mistakes:  

The police respond to a domestic disturbance and find a woman bruised and bloodied.

“What happened, Miss?” asks the officer, looking at her pummeled face and two ragtag children clutching her baggy sweat pants.

“My boyfriend was high on coke and came home from partying all night with another woman and beat me up for not getting him a beer quickly enough,” she moans.

“Would you like to press charges?”

“Oh, no.  It’s all my fault.  I need to get his beer faster next time.”