The former Gov. George Ryan conviction in the bribes-for-licenses case was a state of Illinois story with national implications. Although it would be insulting to the point of obscene to portray it as closure for the parents of the six children killed in Wisconsin by a truck driver who didn't speak English, it arguably served as vindication for the most tragic victims of Ryan's careless injustice.
On the day after the verdict, the editorial cartoonist for ash's local paper drew a moving tribute to the children depicting the words "Thank you" emanating from six small gravestones. ash expressed her gratitude as well:
Chris Britt’s Tuesday cartoon captured the essence of the Ryan case. The ex-governor’s indifference to human life was very much complicit in the foreseeable consequence of selling drivers’ licenses to unqualified drivers. Though it would have been too difficult a charge to prove in court, Ryan’s conduct was tantamount to manslaughter.
The six children killed by a non-English speaking trucker have all but been forgotten in the subsequent years as civil crimes dominated the news and the trial. Many thanks to Mr. Britt for bringing back into focus the most tragic victims of Ryan’s reckless behavior.