Thursday, March 12, 2009
TAMMY MARQUARDT (7); TORONTO COMPOSER'S MOVING SONG ON HER ORDEAL IN ONTARIO'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE ROLE PLAYED BY DR. CHARLES SMITH
"THE WHEELS OF JUSTICE TURN VERY SLOWLY IN ONTARIO. PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS DON'T LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR MISTAKES, AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM GOVERNED BY RIGID PROCESS IS SLOW TO MOVE. INNOCENT PEOPLE SUFFER. TAMMY'S TRAGEDY IS VERY REAL. THERE ARE MANY WRONGFULLY CONVICTED IN ONTARIO." SINGER-SONGWRITER HOWARD GLADSTONE;
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Toronto composer Howard Gladstone has written a very topical and moving song about Tammy Marquardt's ordeal in Ontario's criminal justice system, called "Tammy - The Wheels of Justice";
Gladstone's social conscience is evidenced by the titles of some of his other compositions such as, "Aboriginal Burial Ground", "Prisoner of New Orleans" and "Down to the Delta";
Gladstone describes himself as a "singer-songwriter - eclectic North Americana style."
Critic Virginia MacIsaac wrote in Rambles.net that: "Gladstone shapes ordinary words into beautiful visions… ….songs of strength and courage…. .…lyrics (that) bite into the social conscience of humanity and touch us right in the heart… ….arrangements that really make the songs interesting."
"Tammy -The Wheels of Justice" does just that as it it delivers its disturbing refrain:
"The wheels of justice turn slowly in Ontario
Sometimes they don't turn at all;
Trapped in a system that kills by a process
Justice sometimes don't matter at all;"
"Tammy's appeal will finally going heard, and hopefully she will be released shortly," Gladstone explained to the publisher of this Blog in an email;
"The wheels of justice turn very slowly in Ontario. People and institutions don't like to acknowledge their mistakes, and the justice system governed by rigid process is slow to move. Innocent people suffer. Tammy's tragedy is very real. There are many wrongfully convicted in Ontario."
One can hear the song by accessing Gladstone's web-site ...www.myspace.com/howardgladstonemusic... and clicking on "Tammy - The Wheels of Justice";
Harold Levy...hlevy15@gmail.com