An Eye for an Eye Makes the Whole World Blind
There's not much out there that makes me sicker to my stomach than the state sponsored execution. Not even a breakfast starting with a shot of Cuervo, followed by runny eggs, followed by Milwaukee's Best, followed by plain grits and then washing it all down with a tall glass of that apple Boone's Farm would make me as queasy.
The US justice system and all the justice systems in the world aren't 100% accurate 100% of the time. There can't be any do-overs when you kill someone. Once they're dead, there ain't no way their coming back.
And even if there was a way that we could be sure without a shadow of a doubt, what the hell is wrong with life in prison without parole for the biggest, meanest ugliest offenders of them all? Some would argue that being in prison for the rest of your life is worse than being killed by the government.
Life in prison keeps them off the streets where they are unable to hurt anyone anymore. Shouldn't that be the goal of the "justice" system. Protecting innocent people by getting the criminals off the streets rather than satisfying some vicious compulsion for revenge?
I'm really disappointed that the Govern-ator isn't going to grant clemency to Tookie Williams. It doesn't seem right that a man who has shown that society is better off with him than without him should be executed. Provided he is guilty of the crimes for which he's been convicted, what's wrong with life in prison without parole?
Whatever happened to forgiveness and compassion? For a country that claims to be entrenched in Judeo-Christian values, state sponsored execution should not be legal. I'm sure both Jesus and Moses would agree.
Hat tip to Mahatma Gandhi for the title of this post.
The US justice system and all the justice systems in the world aren't 100% accurate 100% of the time. There can't be any do-overs when you kill someone. Once they're dead, there ain't no way their coming back.
And even if there was a way that we could be sure without a shadow of a doubt, what the hell is wrong with life in prison without parole for the biggest, meanest ugliest offenders of them all? Some would argue that being in prison for the rest of your life is worse than being killed by the government.
Life in prison keeps them off the streets where they are unable to hurt anyone anymore. Shouldn't that be the goal of the "justice" system. Protecting innocent people by getting the criminals off the streets rather than satisfying some vicious compulsion for revenge?
I'm really disappointed that the Govern-ator isn't going to grant clemency to Tookie Williams. It doesn't seem right that a man who has shown that society is better off with him than without him should be executed. Provided he is guilty of the crimes for which he's been convicted, what's wrong with life in prison without parole?
Whatever happened to forgiveness and compassion? For a country that claims to be entrenched in Judeo-Christian values, state sponsored execution should not be legal. I'm sure both Jesus and Moses would agree.
Hat tip to Mahatma Gandhi for the title of this post.
posted by cookie christine @ 12/12/2005
5 Comments:
At December 12, 2005,
Joel said…
Just in case we needed any proof that anyone who says the death penalty is supposed to be a deterrent is full of it. The man is obviously making an effort to ensure that people don't follow his lead, but that apparently isn't enough.
It's another of many examples of Christian principles being wholly misinterpreted.
At December 13, 2005,
Neil Shakespeare said…
Just another example of returning barbarism. I see Mexico did away with it. Good for them.
At December 13, 2005,
Sylvana said…
Come on. Tis the season for a good ole execution you know.
Seriously though, Wisconsin doesn't have the death penalty and we're not over run by criminals nor do we feel unsafe here.
At December 13, 2005,
Anonymous said…
In this discussion you seem to have forgotten what Tookie did in 1978. He shot 4 people at very close range in robberies where he netted a little over $200. I think killing someone as punishment for killing someone is is insane but there are a few people who don't know how to play with others. Tookie was one of those. He chose the path he want down a hopefully regretted it.
At December 13, 2005,
Isaac Carmichael said…
If Tookie had netted $200,000, would that've been better?
What's really sick is the way some people seem so happy about his execution. That seems to do a disservice to the victims of his crimes, not to mention make the baby Jesus cry...
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