An absurd tradition bites the dust.

Death row inmates are probably not real happy with Lawrence Brewer. Lawrence is the heartless, demented, idiot who dragged a man to death in Jasper, Texas. For the last meal before his execution, Lawrence ordered:

• 2 chicken fried steaks with gravy and onions
• a triple meat bacon cheeseburger with sides
• a cheese omelet
• a large bowl of fried okra with ketchup
• a pound of barbecue with a half a loaf of bread
• 3 fajitas with fixings
• a meat lovers pizza
• 3 root beers
• a pint of vanilla ice cream
• peanut butter fudge with crushed peanuts

That's enough to feed a dozen or more people. But the last meal request is a tradition, so even though he couldn't possibly have eaten even half that stuff, the taxpayers bought it for him.

For once, I agree with a Democrat. When Senator John Whitmire found out about the menu, he said, "Enough is enough. . . I have always questioned why you would take the worst criminal we have and cater to him or her. Brewer commits the most heinous crime you can imagine, and you let him choose not one, but multiple things. It's just nuts." He informed the TDCJ in no uncertain terms that they could voluntarily end the practice, or he would see that legislation was passed to do so.

So when Lawrence Brewer deservedly bit the dust, so did this ridiculous tradition.

"Murder's over-the-top order ends tradition of last meal." The Dallas Morning News; September 23, 2011; p. 1A.