Look, I've already said that I do believe in capital punishment for heinous crimes despite being extremely liberal in other areas. That isn't a position I take lightly. I live in Missouri where just 3 hours ago the first man since 2005 was put to death for a murder he'd been involved in. Many anti-death penalty groups were rallying in an attempt to have his life spared because he was "a good role model for other inmates" as was evidenced by his creation of a scholarship program for former inmates to get an education after leaving the prison system. He'd also committed this particular murder after having been out on parole following another murder and proceeded to kill 2 other people immediately after killing the Missouri "good samaritan" who'd pulled over to assist him and a friend on the side of the road. The two men shot their "good samaritan" execution style.
Am I happy he was put to death? No. It's not something I celebrate. I don't party and shout chants about "justice" being served. This was a man convicted of taking no less than four lives and three of those four were after having already served time in prison for the first murder and they took place within days of one another. I'd much rather the murders never take place at all.
Is this human failing or is it our prison system that is failing? I really don't know the answer to that. I think it can be looked at either way. I've talked about it before in a post regarding the euthanasia of dogs who bite. I do know that privatizing our prisons will cause more and more problems as time goes on though.
I don't pretend to have all of the answers - only opinions.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
There's a big difference between dogs and people. Most dog bites are in defense of self, family, or home or out of surprise or fear. They tend to be brought on by human action, as in how they're raised or more immediate actions. The one who committed these murders used the gift of his human mind to plot (however fleetingly) and carry them out simply for selfish and cruel reasons. I agree that his execution is not cause to celebrate. But it is a bit of safety.
I do have to say that I am crazy pro-human life (I do eat meat so I'm not perfect). I've marched in a rally (albeit a Catholic school-sponsored one where I got a free trip to DC for the weekend) and I believe that all life is precious, you know the gist.
But I would also say that I'm pro-reality and that if the law allows you to be put to death for what you did and you did it anyway, then you should be punished however the law prescribes. Clearly this person was disturbed and although I do believe in trying to get to the root causes of people's psychosis (something prison doesn't do 99% of the time), who knows if anyone could with a multiple murderer who may commit murder again.
You're right tho, it's never good, but sometimes it has to happen.
I have a strange sordid streak when it comes to Capital Punishment, which is strange considering I could never hunt or otherwise hurt another critter or person.
I view heinous crimes like murder (ESPECIALLY multiple offenses) should be dealt with swiftly and finally. Like cutting off a rotting branch of a tree, or weeding otherwise healthy 'weeds' to allow your veggies to grow. Remove the source of illness, and society as a whole will grow stronger.
It's too long to go into, but I am sad that some people are admittedly such a harm to our society that they must be removed from it, yet it is better, IMHO to take that route for such repeat offenders, than it is to support them forever in prison draining our resources. /shrug.
Don't mean to sound so callous though, since it is still a horrid thing to consider, taking another life, but Nature does it all the time without batting an eye. Sometimes, we humans over-analyze things.
The ONLY reason I don't subscribe to the death penalty is the fact that so many innocent people looked at someone in power the wrong way and ended up on death row. When they start putting prosecutors in prison for malpractice when they railroad people into the death penalty just for the political brownie points, then and only then will I consider supporting the death penalty. I have no problem with an "eye for an eye", as long as they pluck out the right eye.
since i live in a plead em guilty and we'll kill em state of texas...im probably one of the few that isn't for death..not that i wouldn't push the plunger on most of them..but to me..it's more of a punishment to stick them in a cell for 23 hours for the rest of their lives than a quick death.
Chell, I agree.
Junior, it takes all kinds. I'll have to post more on it later tho.
Maebius, I couldn't agree more. In fact I think it's another form of cruelty altogether to declare one guilty, sentence them to death, and then leave them in prison for years before the inevitable.
Michael, I think at present it's much easier to prove the guilt and innocence for which the death penalty should be utilized. No DNA, video of heinous act, or uncoerced confession - no death penalty.
Jac, I don't look at the death penalty as a punishment really. I know I'm going to have to do another post about this... it's just not a cut and dried issue for me at all. Neither are the issues that I'm willing to have someone sentenced to that particular penalty.
Post a Comment