A Burden of Proof
My comments here will relate most directly to this particular article: 2-dose Fla. execution sparks criticism. It occurs to me the headline of the article aptly describes the appropriate response to what Florida does to it's death row inmates. The question is, why did it take a more obvious occurrence of an inmate displaying signs and signals of the truly cruel and unusual punishment before we made a bigger fuss about the death penalty?
First off, I'm a relatively open-minded person when it comes to debates like this. I will hear what people have to say and, while I may not agree, I won't simply block out their logic. However, I'm getting tired of that, and so I'll put forth this prerequisite notion right now: if you think that everyone who is convicted of a crime is actually guilty, or that criminals "get what they deserve," just don't speak. I don't want to hear it. I really don't.
If you're so cold and callous that you could bear in your heart the true belief that an-eye-for-an-eye is an acceptably humane or just manner of dealing with the criminal element and any embodiment of evil, then you are just as much a criminal to me as the convicted. You are tainted by the dark stain of murder, and, if you're one of those conservative Christians who believes in the death penalty, you're also a sinner.
"You shall not murder." - Exodus 20:13
What part of that do you not understand?
And if you aren't a Christian, there are, in every religion, alternative directives from your version of God. You bear not the wisdom or the righteousness of an all-seeing, all-knowing being that would make you capable of deeming another human being worthy of their life.
And if you don't believe in supernatural beings, if you leave yourself to be guided by a moral compass of your own design, think upon this: If you know, from day to day, that it is wrong to take the life of another person, why would it differ if the person is, themselves a murderer? All you do is stain yourself in the blood of another.
Your condoning of the killing of human beings leaves you marked for your entire life, and perhaps into eternity. Marked by the secular sin of being an accomplice to murder.
Where are the truly compassionate people who know that the death penalty is a grave violation of what many have called "the sanctity of life?" Where are the angry voices calling out for greater supervision of this process? Why do states have the right to decide who lives and who dies? If we're allowing people to take lives, why is this power not granted, at the least, to the most entrusted judicial body in the land - the Supreme Court of the United States?
More so confounding and disturbing is the lack of greater outrage over the executions of the falsely convicted. My belief is best summed up in the words of a great author:
"I am sorry," said Frodo. "But ... I do not feel any pity for Gollum.... He deserves death."
First off, I'm a relatively open-minded person when it comes to debates like this. I will hear what people have to say and, while I may not agree, I won't simply block out their logic. However, I'm getting tired of that, and so I'll put forth this prerequisite notion right now: if you think that everyone who is convicted of a crime is actually guilty, or that criminals "get what they deserve," just don't speak. I don't want to hear it. I really don't.
If you're so cold and callous that you could bear in your heart the true belief that an-eye-for-an-eye is an acceptably humane or just manner of dealing with the criminal element and any embodiment of evil, then you are just as much a criminal to me as the convicted. You are tainted by the dark stain of murder, and, if you're one of those conservative Christians who believes in the death penalty, you're also a sinner.
"You shall not murder." - Exodus 20:13
What part of that do you not understand?
And if you aren't a Christian, there are, in every religion, alternative directives from your version of God. You bear not the wisdom or the righteousness of an all-seeing, all-knowing being that would make you capable of deeming another human being worthy of their life.
And if you don't believe in supernatural beings, if you leave yourself to be guided by a moral compass of your own design, think upon this: If you know, from day to day, that it is wrong to take the life of another person, why would it differ if the person is, themselves a murderer? All you do is stain yourself in the blood of another.
Your condoning of the killing of human beings leaves you marked for your entire life, and perhaps into eternity. Marked by the secular sin of being an accomplice to murder.
Where are the truly compassionate people who know that the death penalty is a grave violation of what many have called "the sanctity of life?" Where are the angry voices calling out for greater supervision of this process? Why do states have the right to decide who lives and who dies? If we're allowing people to take lives, why is this power not granted, at the least, to the most entrusted judicial body in the land - the Supreme Court of the United States?
More so confounding and disturbing is the lack of greater outrage over the executions of the falsely convicted. My belief is best summed up in the words of a great author:
"I am sorry," said Frodo. "But ... I do not feel any pity for Gollum.... He deserves death."
"Deserves it! I daresay he does," [replies Gandalf]. "Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement...."
posted by Dave at 12:39:00 PM
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