warrants your serious consideration
We should care about the way the death penalty is carried out and show some care that murderers don’t suffer. After all, such concern separates us from the bad guys.
However, like most liberals with sense, I do believe that allowing murderers to live is an affront to us all. The old argument that poor men of color are singled out doesn’t sway me a bit. Let’s include all (mostly) men who commit murder. Women, too. Equality is equality, right?
The answer is simply more, not less, truly horrific killers should not be allowed to breathe air. Period.
The death penalty doesn’t prevent crime? Well, we know those particular murderers put to death won’t be killing anyone else, don’t we? I’d even open up the definition of ‘heinous crime’ to include pedophiles as well. But that’s me. I’m an old testament kinda gal.
Last, but not least, victims’ families deserve closure. They deserve some peace. After all, they’ve been through enough.
We all have.
So let’s bring it back.
***cross-posted at Out in Left Field***
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May 18th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
I’m so glad a liberal posted this. I also consider myself a liberal in most areas but this is one where I differ from the party line. The fact of the matter is that there are people who’ve decided to impact society in a negative way and need to be removed from the equation for the greater good. The less resources and concern wasted on them means more for people who need/deserve them.
May 18th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I second that!
May 18th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Is the purpose of prison to punish or rehabilitate? (I go back forth on this…)
Capital punishment is so barbaric and your logic doesn’t fly with me.
I think we cross into a very dark place when we condone and allow the state to execute people.
May 18th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Since the dawn of mankind, every culture has had a death sentence in form or another. I truly believe that there are people in this world that are just evil. Sometime in their lives they rejected good and embraced evil. No matter what society does some people do not want to be in light they embrace darkness. Sadly death is the only way to deal with them.
May 18th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
I start to wonder if I am more for the death penalty in theory than I am in practice. I agree with many people’s sentiments that there are just some people who don’t deserve to continue to breathe.
The issue is the number of people that have been wrongly executed, or who’ve barely escaped execution before being exonerated.
I read someone’s comment (maybe at Kate’s blog) essentially calling for the burden of proof to be overwhelming - a smoking gun - before a death penalty could be called for. I’m all for that.
It’s difficult for me to work out. I do in principle believe there are crimes heinous enough to warrant the death penalty, I’m just not convinced our justice system is in good enough shape to be handing those sentences out.
That said, I’m not crazy about taking the option completely off the table, either. I’d prefer the system get fixed and the option be viable, but in the meantime maybe it’s worth taking it away until we’re sure we’re not putting innocent people to death.
May 18th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
‘Cause you know the hundredth name of God, right?
Every sentence in this is so trite and arrogant and gross, I don’t even know where to begin. Just —- off with all of it and don’t come back until you can really support some of these ideas.
Ew, ew, ew.
May 18th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
I second each of the important criticisms above.
The Innocence Project
Too many people are and have been wrongly convicted because of incompetent counsel, political machinations, racism, you name it. Even if you might in theory support the death penalty (I don’t), I think supporting the death penalty is morally wrong until we have a perfect justice system.
May 18th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Lee, David, and Ken - I think you raise some good points. I don’t come to this decision, supporting the death penalty, lightly or without reservation. However, the arguments against it, for me, aren’t as compelling as the arguments for it.
Rachel* - I’m not sure I understand your comment. Anyone who reads more than one of my posts must know that I care about victims of crime and would like to alleviate their suffering. That I write with a desire to make the world a better place. Not sure what’s gross or trite about that. I also engage in meaningful discussions regarding different points of view almost all the time without arrogance. So, again, I’m not sure where you are coming from.
I’m a bit weary from all the personal attacks against those with different points of view. Both here and on other sites. Said with an ounce of humor they can be read as teasing or ribbing and I’m fine with that. But otherwise they come across as mean-spirited and insulting. Sure, part of writing online is opening yourself up to misinterpretation. I find many people read with their own tone of voice and then apply it to others. So keep on keeping on, don’t let me stop you from displaying nastiness. You have plenty of company.