This is a topic that evokes a lot of emotions in people. There was an English teacher where I taught who was against the death penalty and I asked him his reasoning and he told me that he couldn't support something he couldn't do himself. He knew he couldn't carry out the death penalty on someone else. I have a pen pal on death row in prison with whom I have written back and forth for many years. She is a Christian now and witnwesses to others. She told me she was not afraid to die. I support the death penalty but could I be the one that killed her? It makes us take a look at ourselves.
Thanks for your comment, Myra. I should have probably explained my strong reaction a bit more. I was directly involved with the investigation of the situation I linked to. I know how evil the perpetrator is. The victims were innocent women and children, what they went through is unimaginable. Then tried to cover up the crime by lighting the house on fire. The crime really affected me and does to this day. I still have nightmares. There is no question that he did it...He had scratches on his face and hands from the struggle that took place. He had no remorse. He's evil incarnate. The jury spoke and said he should die.
Yet our governor doesn't speak to anyone, just out of the blue he "goes rogue" and ignores the will of the people. I could agree with evaluating every situation on a case by case basis, if there is a smidgen of doubt, but he's not doing that. That's why I'm so angry.
I think if we could know for sure that someone did it, I can get behind the death penalty. But I also couldn't be the one who threw the switch... I think. However, from a technical stand point I actually studied this in college, and the cost of bringing someone to death, through all the legal challenges and whatnot, is more expensive than them just taking life in prison without parole. It costs us less to keep them like a pet than it does to put them to death. Without all those legal dances, we suffer a much higher chance of executing someone who is innocent, so they cannot be avoided - and even with them, there have been grave miscarriages of justice where innocent people were executed.
I think that the reason it's this hard for people to decide where they stand on the death penalty morally is because it should be hard to decide. The crime of taking someone else's life is so epic that the taking of their life in retribution should be no less momentous, or we become just as numb and guilty as the criminal who committed the crime, even if the person being ended deserves the outcome of the punishment. So, maybe that politician did it because of moral grounds, or maybe he did it because of financial ones, or maybe he did it as part of his job because he read the law and it isn't worded correctly or the system is corrupt and unfair to those judged underneath it and it needs to be fixed.
Thanks, Kyra. I should have probably explained my strong reaction a bit more. You can read a bit more of why I went ballistic in my response to Myra.
We know he did it, he had the victims blood all over his clothes, scratches on his face and hands, and he went to the gas station to get gasoline to burn the house down to cover his crime. He laughed and smiled and smirked at the family and the investigators throughout the trial. His defense was "I didn't do it, but if I did, it was during an alcoholic blackout."
I could get even more specific about the horrible things he did, but I won't. Believe me, they are almost unimaginable and I don't want to give you nightmares. When the governor's decision came literally out of the blue, we didn't know it was coming, it brings up all the old feelings, especially anger.
I'd be happy to personally throw the switch on this one.
This is a topic that evokes a lot of emotions in people. There was an English teacher where I taught who was against the death penalty and I asked him his reasoning and he told me that he couldn't support something he couldn't do himself. He knew he couldn't carry out the death penalty on someone else. I have a pen pal on death row in prison with whom I have written back and forth for many years. She is a Christian now and witnwesses to others. She told me she was not afraid to die. I support the death penalty but could I be the one that killed her? It makes us take a look at ourselves.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Myra. I should have probably explained my strong reaction a bit more. I was directly involved with the investigation of the situation I linked to. I know how evil the perpetrator is. The victims were innocent women and children, what they went through is unimaginable. Then tried to cover up the crime by lighting the house on fire. The crime really affected me and does to this day. I still have nightmares. There is no question that he did it...He had scratches on his face and hands from the struggle that took place. He had no remorse. He's evil incarnate. The jury spoke and said he should die.
DeleteYet our governor doesn't speak to anyone, just out of the blue he "goes rogue" and ignores the will of the people. I could agree with evaluating every situation on a case by case basis, if there is a smidgen of doubt, but he's not doing that. That's why I'm so angry.
I think if we could know for sure that someone did it, I can get behind the death penalty. But I also couldn't be the one who threw the switch... I think. However, from a technical stand point I actually studied this in college, and the cost of bringing someone to death, through all the legal challenges and whatnot, is more expensive than them just taking life in prison without parole. It costs us less to keep them like a pet than it does to put them to death. Without all those legal dances, we suffer a much higher chance of executing someone who is innocent, so they cannot be avoided - and even with them, there have been grave miscarriages of justice where innocent people were executed.
ReplyDeleteI think that the reason it's this hard for people to decide where they stand on the death penalty morally is because it should be hard to decide. The crime of taking someone else's life is so epic that the taking of their life in retribution should be no less momentous, or we become just as numb and guilty as the criminal who committed the crime, even if the person being ended deserves the outcome of the punishment. So, maybe that politician did it because of moral grounds, or maybe he did it because of financial ones, or maybe he did it as part of his job because he read the law and it isn't worded correctly or the system is corrupt and unfair to those judged underneath it and it needs to be fixed.
But I can understand your anger.
Thanks, Kyra. I should have probably explained my strong reaction a bit more. You can read a bit more of why I went ballistic in my response to Myra.
DeleteWe know he did it, he had the victims blood all over his clothes, scratches on his face and hands, and he went to the gas station to get gasoline to burn the house down to cover his crime. He laughed and smiled and smirked at the family and the investigators throughout the trial. His defense was "I didn't do it, but if I did, it was during an alcoholic blackout."
I could get even more specific about the horrible things he did, but I won't. Believe me, they are almost unimaginable and I don't want to give you nightmares. When the governor's decision came literally out of the blue, we didn't know it was coming, it brings up all the old feelings, especially anger.
I'd be happy to personally throw the switch on this one.