Jack Merritt Died in the London Bridge Attack. Don’t Forget What He Stood For.

New York Times ^ | December 1, 2019 | Emma Goldberg

[karpov]

I remember a morning of unadulterated goodness. I’d come to celebrate graduation at a local men’s prison. The inmates had spent the semester studying criminal justice with students from the University of Cambridge as part of a program called Learning Together. The men from the prison dressed up for the occasion, hair slicked back and shirts tucked in.

Jack Merritt, my classmate at Cambridge and a program participant, recited a poem he’d written on forgiveness and rehabilitation. I remember feeling surprised by his words, so unselfconsciously earnest. I’d known him mostly for his dry wit, his boyishly good looks and his reputation as a criminology class clown.

Jack, who was 25 and from Cambridge, was stabbed to death during a terrorist attack near London Bridge on Friday. The attacker, Usman Khan, had been convicted of terrorism offenses in 2012. He was released from prison last year. Just before the attack, Jack was in Fishmongers’ Hall, a building adjacent to the bridge, helping to lead a conference on prisoner rehabilitation, an alumni celebration for Learning Together. Mr. Khan, who was attending the conference, began his rampage as a creative writing workshop was wrapping up inside the hall, around 2 p.m.

The injustice of somebody murdered while organizing for criminal justice feels impossibly sharp. Jack was in a room of people, some on day release from prison, discussing possibilities for penal reform.

But the world is full of injustice, and young people denied opportunity. Jack understood that better than most.

When I read the news of the attack, I pictured him back at Grendon prison reading his graduation poem. I remember how the students and inmates waved their diplomas in the air that day, pulling each other in for hugs and inside jokes. I remember how the prison auditorium felt blissfully full.

[karpov]

It is too bad that he died, but he died because he was wrong about the nature of the terrorists and criminals he and his colleagues romanticized. That's what we should not forget.

[LeoWindhorse]

Usman Khan, cousin twice removed from Sadiq Khan , Mayor of London

[FreedomPoster]

Here’s his master’s thesis.

The perp was released from prison early from a terrorism conviction.

[rbg81]

Libs....they’re full of understanding and forgiveness about anyone. Unless you’re conservative.

[Lurker]

Jack is dead because he was stupid.

That is the lesson.

L

[Drew68]

Both victims were prisoner reform advocates. The second was a female, named as Saskia Jones, 23. They had been attending an event to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Learning Together, a prison-based education project where they paraded Usman Khan as an example of the program's effectiveness.

Like King Kong in New York City, Khan chimped out and went a little stabby on the locals.

No word on how this will impact the future of their prison-based education project.

[Drew68]

Here’s his master’s thesis.

Someone needs to write an epilogue.

[ml/nj]

Like King Kong in New York City, Khan chimped out and went a little stabby on the locals.

Great analogy !

ML/NJ

[tomkat]

“Over-Representation”

Bleeding heart naivete.

[CodeToad]

Exactly. They will still not proclaim islam to be a terrorist organization no matter how many brits die in muslim raged attacks.

[Kozy]

Reminds me of the story about the frog and the scorpion crossing the river. The scorpion riding on the frog since he could not swim and the frog could. The frog plead with the scorpion not to sting him as they crossed because they both would die. Half way across the river, the scorpion strikes the frog. The frog asks, “Why?” The scorpion replies, “I could not help myself.” A terrorist is a terrorist, is a terrorist. Join the frog at the bottom of the river.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Oh, the irony.

[Drango]

Irony much??

[robowombat]

The liberal death wish in action.

[Candor7]

The injustice of somebody murdered while organizing for criminal justice feels impossibly sharp. Jack was in a room of people, some on day release from prison, discussing possibilities for penal reform. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jack, a well intentioned man, died of an affliction of liberal ideology.

That alone should be a message, but of course, the current crop of liberal progressives in the UK and their whole penal reform movement are suckers of the highest order when it comes to jihadis, who play them like a fiddle.

In this case the music was deadly, and until the penal systems in the UK starts dealing with jihadis as nationless soldier/terrorists not covered by the Geneva Convention, this incident is guaranteed to repeat itself.

At least the perpetrator was properly disposed. If he were still alive they would be falling over themselves to feel his pain and discover what they had done wrong in the way they treated him;very sick people altogether who do not realize a war is being waged against their civilization.

The incident should fuel BREXIT as if a nuclear pile.

[Karliner]

Libs....they’re full of understanding and forgiveness about anyone. Unless you’re conservative

One of my fav stories to tell is a sacred bleeding heart social worker who decided to intervene with a hostile killer in a certain state hospital." Leave ____ alone,HANDS OFF I have a repertoire."

So we took our hands off and _____ grabbed that lovely woman by the throat danged near strangling her to death. Oddly, that social worker pressed charges and demanded kind hearted ways to put that "____ing animal" to death.

[right way right]

Very irony...but, not surprising.

No quarter for Islam.

[luv2ski]

This story reminds me of that couple who went to Eastern Europe to ride bikes and to prove that we are all “good people”. They were murdered.

[NFHale]

Dear Emma:

Tell it to Sadiq Khan. I’m sure he’ll express “sincere regrets”, and then re-iterate that diversity is strength.

[Capt. Tom]

It is too bad that he died, but he died because he was wrong about the nature of the terrorists and criminals he and his colleagues romanticized.

Until us Infidels realize the behavior of a Muslim Jihadist is religiously motivated, we will continue to address the symptoms, and avoid facing up to the cause. - Tom