Redeeming Themselves?
Watch this tale of redemption. You know, I don’t know any real way for these guys to ever make right the wrong they’ve actively caused and contributed to. One man goes so far as to admit putting 7,000 people in jail who weren’t hurting anyone. Yes, I suppose you could say that no redemption is possible. That, in a rational world foremost in love with honesty and justice, the man could never make adequate repayment.
Actually, I’m not sure how I come down on that. But I do know that I respect these men for admitting to what they’ve done, and what they’re doing to try and change things going forward.
(via Bill, again)
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Redemption and forgiveness start with attempting to repair the damage you've done to the best of your ability. They're doing that in part with this, but it's one thing to try to fix the system that they were part of, it's another thing to try to actually repair some of the concrete damage they've done.
They're likly not only kidnappers, but also murderers – at least accessories before, during and after. If they admit it, and are ashamed by it, and admit they knew it was wrong at the time, then they ought to have sold their houses and everything they own to start a fund to try to win the release of those of their victims that are still prisoners – and to compensate the families of those who never made it to prison.
Short of that, if these retired men spend their days out at the country club and in fine restaurants, this is a valuable effort, but is likely little more than trying to lay off the blame on "the system" while continuing to deny that the system could not have functioned as it did without their deliberate actions.
If that is the case, and I have no evidence either way, then this is a move in the right direction, but a long way from redemption. If not, then I truly applaud them, and though they still have work to do, I'd be hopeful that they can someday rejoin the community of decent men.