Ironically, the execution that (rightly, IMHO) received the most publicity this week was of Troy Davis in Georgia, not Texas. The difference? The man executed in Texas was, to all appearances, guilty. Davis, again to all appearances, was not.
The only way we will ever avoid this most heinous of miscarriages of justice is to end the death penalty... everywhere.
I remember the last time we had this conversation, Steve. I held on to the thought that the worst of the worst 'Hannibal Lecter' types should be dispatched. I was encouraged to understand the death penalty is not a deterrent nor cost effective, nor even applied fairly. It is an act of revenge. Only in the movies does one feel satisfaction at the death of the bad guy. There is never any closure for the victim's families nor for society by the act of murdering the guilty.
So, as much as I would like to know the Hannibal Lecters of this world will be put where they can never again do harm, the death penalty is a barbaric and often racist practice and should be done away with.
ellroon, my UU minister about 30 years ago once titled a sermon, "Some days I want the death penalty... but those are not my best days." I couldn't say it any better than that. Our better selves would not arrange to murder even the most vicious, despicable murderer. It just isn't right.
As someone said a few years back, "Killing people to prove that killing people is wrong is wrong." Too clever by half, but that's precisely the point. Some days I want the death penalty, but... etc.
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I saw that on a banner watching the Occupy Wall Street feed. Good one.
Yes, I pulled it off Reddit. Succinct and to the point.
Ironically, the execution that (rightly, IMHO) received the most publicity this week was of Troy Davis in Georgia, not Texas. The difference? The man executed in Texas was, to all appearances, guilty. Davis, again to all appearances, was not.
The only way we will ever avoid this most heinous of miscarriages of justice is to end the death penalty... everywhere.
I remember the last time we had this conversation, Steve. I held on to the thought that the worst of the worst 'Hannibal Lecter' types should be dispatched. I was encouraged to understand the death penalty is not a deterrent nor cost effective, nor even applied fairly. It is an act of revenge. Only in the movies does one feel satisfaction at the death of the bad guy. There is never any closure for the victim's families nor for society by the act of murdering the guilty.
So, as much as I would like to know the Hannibal Lecters of this world will be put where they can never again do harm, the death penalty is a barbaric and often racist practice and should be done away with.
ellroon, my UU minister about 30 years ago once titled a sermon, "Some days I want the death penalty... but those are not my best days." I couldn't say it any better than that. Our better selves would not arrange to murder even the most vicious, despicable murderer. It just isn't right.
As someone said a few years back, "Killing people to prove that killing people is wrong is wrong." Too clever by half, but that's precisely the point. Some days I want the death penalty, but... etc.
"Killing people to prove that killing people is wrong is wrong." Couldn't say it better'n that.
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