My first letter to the editor
Death Penalty
We are all allotted a certain time on this planet. I don't understand why anyone would object to the death penalty? We are all going to die one day. And if you commit a murder, you need to die a little early? It's as simple as that!
That sure isn't the case for most convicted murderers. Most of them are allowed to live for many years after their crimes. There should be at least a 2 year minimum (only because of our "Sloth" of a court system) from the time of conviction to the time of lethal injection.
Why should convicted murderers be allowed to share time on the planet with us? The only argument to that question is for the life of the wrongly accused in stating that an
innocent life could be taken in the process? Sorry, but no process is perfect.
Innocent lives are taken every day by murderers. What about them? The media will over-hype the coverage of a wrongly convicted person and make it seem like it happens all the time when in fact it doesn't. Because when it doesn't happen........well that's just not news!
Death Penalty
We are all allotted a certain time on this planet. I don't understand why anyone would object to the death penalty? We are all going to die one day. And if you commit a murder, you need to die a little early? It's as simple as that!
That sure isn't the case for most convicted murderers. Most of them are allowed to live for many years after their crimes. There should be at least a 2 year minimum (only because of our "Sloth" of a court system) from the time of conviction to the time of lethal injection.
Why should convicted murderers be allowed to share time on the planet with us? The only argument to that question is for the life of the wrongly accused in stating that an
innocent life could be taken in the process? Sorry, but no process is perfect.
Innocent lives are taken every day by murderers. What about them? The media will over-hype the coverage of a wrongly convicted person and make it seem like it happens all the time when in fact it doesn't. Because when it doesn't happen........well that's just not news!
16 comments:
Of course, imagine being wrongly convicted and then have a death penalty looming after two years. Texas alone has released 30 prisons wrongly prosecuted. They've proven it through DNA testing. One guy served 27 years (Charles Chatman). I have no problem with it for the guilty; but sometimes things aren't as simple as they seem. Come up with an infallable way to find the guilty and I'm all for it in most situations.
I'm of two minds, one, if there is any question of innocence, which can include mitigating circumstances, there can be no death penalty.
On the other hand, some people should be snuffed out before they reach the county jail.
Sorry, you're on your own on this one. I think punishing someone for taking a life by killing them is gross hypocrisy.
Puss
Hmmmmm
Mixed emotions?
VE & Jeanna
Yes, if there is any question of innocence......then I would surely be compasionate enough to give them a reprieve from their dirt nap.
Jeanna
I think you must be a loyal fan of Charles Bronson!!!
Puss
I don't consider the death penalty punishment for those who truly deserve it! I consider it economics and safety issues for the rest of us!
I think this is how the Mafia started.
I'm too much of a liberal to agree with you, but you stated your case well.
I think if murder is wrong, the state shouldn't get into the business of doing it.
I think that far too many minorities find themselves on death row, while white men who commit the same crimes do not.
I think poor folks are unequally put on death row than folks who can afford better lawyers.
But all of these arguments aside, mine goes back to, if we shouldn't kill, neither should our government.
And yes, most of the folks on death row deserve it, clearly. They're horrid folks who did horrid things. But that doesn't mean that we should turn to murder ourselves.
And if someone did something horrid to my child? No worried about death row, because I'd kill them myself. I know, hypocrisy at its finest. ;)
I don't think there are that many cases of the wrong person being convicted. When it happens it becomes huge news, but that doesn't mean it is that common. Unfortunately taxpayers have to spend millions to carry out the death penalty.
Jeanna
Are you comparing our government to the Mafia? I love it!
Agreed. Where do I sign?
J
There's hope for you yet!LOL!!!!
At least you have some vigilante tendancies when it comes to your offspring!!!!
I can't consider you a "bleeding heart" anymore!LOL!!!
You can call it "State Sponsored Murder" if you want to? But as for me.......I call it "Removing Hazardous Waste"!!!!!!!
Jan
I have heard it cost the taxpayer more to execute than to incarcerate? That's how disfunctional our government has become!
Steph
Somehow, I knew you would be willing to throw the switch w/me!!!!!
I sent this into the editorial section of the local Starnews back in 2005 when there was a big stink about giving Tookie Williams (Notorious leader of the Crips gang) the lethal injection (AKA Dirt Nap)!
All the bleedin heart liberals were wettin' their panties over it.
Tookie was nothing but hazardous human waste to the highest degree! Read here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Williams
The Star News didn't accept my first draft, so I shortened it up quite a bit and left out "Tookie's" name!!!!
I wish I would have titled it "Death Penalty/Removing Hazardous Waste" now!!!!!LOL!!!
I have mixed feelings about the death penalty and our judicial system in general which I won't get into via a comment. ;-) Your case is well stated and nicely written. Keep us posted for any feedback that it receives!
Since the death penalty has never been proven to be a deterrent to crime, you're talking about making someone pay for their crimes, not preventing others from committing them. Very Old Testament. So if you're into revenge for revenge's sake, the death penalty may be for you.
However, any possibility that you've got the wrong person or she killed that bastard because he deserved it would make the death penalty wrong even without the moral implications.
If some prick shot and killed a cop in front of witnesses, I would have no problems with the killer not making it to the station. But life isn't that simple.
Hey, Jimmy!
I've been lurking :) I usually comment right away, but for this one I'm on the fence here. I believe people who take other people's lives need to be dealt with accordingly, but I don't know how I feel about taking their lives too. I've mulled this over in my head many times. I've had heated debates with people over this many times as well.
I understand that it costs tax payers to keep criminals in jail, etc. But wasn't it Ghandi who said "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind"? Or something like that!
Anyhooooo...great post. Very thought provoking!
Rachel
I understand how this is a touchy subject for most people. I just look at it real simple.
Jeanna
No revenge for me. Just taking out the trash! I look at it simple, but it isn't a simple matter.
C
I have never heard "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind"?
Good one! Love your input!
Old testament again. And Ghandi. And Tevye from Fiddler.
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