From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!floyd!cmcl2!philabs!sdcsvax!sdccsu3!ee163cz Newsgroups: net.misc Title: Treason??? Article-I.D.: sdccsu3.415 Posted: Thu Mar 17 10:48:21 1983 Received: Wed Mar 23 07:31:59 1983 I read in the L.A. Times this morning that Reagan's proposed measures to help fight crime include re-institution of the federal death penalty for treason and espionage. WHAT???? When was the last time anyone was convicted in this country of "levying war against [the United States], or... adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort"? The death penalty isn't too useful when already nobody commits such a crime. Anyway, treason and espionage are basically war-time crimes; is Reagan planning a little war (just a *limited* nuclear war) to take our minds off handgun proliferation and gang rapes on barroom pool-tables? *Has* anyone been convicted of treason or espionage lately? I wouldn't think too many people would want to betray this country, anyway, unless maybe the current administration goes too far in its policy of defending government against the governed. -- Eric J. Wilner (F. J. Gumby) sdcsvax!sdccsu3!ee163cz