Davy Crockett said it best

"You can all go to hell. I'm going to Texas." -- D. Crockett

Yep. It's been awhile since I've had that over-the-top belt-bustin' feelin' of pride about my native Lone Star State. You know, what with our wishy-washy attitude about how best to uphold the law of the land regarding immigration, the ongoing (laughable if they weren't so pitiful) public education problems, and the ridiculously high property taxes that suck dry the bank accounts of far too many homeowners.

But last night was a good night. Our state gave the figurative middle finger to the United Nations World Court and put to death one of the most notorious criminals to grace Huntsville State Prison in recent memory.

Jose Medellin was 18 and an illegal immigrant from Mexico when he led a gang initiation in T.C. Jester Park 15 years ago. That initiation culminated in the prolonged torture and rape of two girls, ages 15 and 14.

One of the guys in this nauseatingly brutal case has already met his Maker. Two others had sentences commuted to life and yet another got 40 years.

Medellin whined and complained for FIFTEEN years that he was denied access to Mexican consul services at the time of his arrest. Funny thing is, he was in jail for four years before he bothered to say so. Guess it took him awhile to figure out an angle.

This creative argument caught the attention of some do-gooders at the United Nations who called on President Bush and Congress to stop the planned madness -- the LEGAL execution of Medellin -- at once.

We said, "No."

Texas did the right thing putting Medellin to death. He was a coward, the worst kind of coward, the kind who would lie to save his own sorry butt regardless of the fact that his actions permanently ruined the lives of two families and sent shock waves through an entire community.

I hope Jennifer Ertmann and Elizabeth Pena and their families can at last rest in peace.

I can't say the same for Jose Medellin. He's got a lot to atone for and my guess is that this will keep him very busy, what with having to swim through all those lakes of fire and such.

As for those who like to argue that the death penalty doesn't deter criminals so we should abolish it, I'd like to share what an editor of mine once said. "I don't care whether the death penalty deters criminals from committing crimes. We know it permanently prevents them from ever doing it again, and that, to me, is its real value."

Yep.

"The eyes of Texas are upon you, all the live long day. The eyes of Texas are upon you, you cannot get away . . ."