Warning. This opinion may offend some of you.
As a young adult, my political leanings were solidly with the Democratic Party. Over the years, I have adopted a more centrist/moderate viewpoint. For most social issues, I am more inclined to agree with Democrats. When it comes to government spending, I have grown more conservative.
One issue I have always been relatively right-winged about is capital punishment. Anyone who has shown blattant disregard for human life, particularly the cold, premeditated, snuffing out of innocent lives, does not deserve any semblance of mercy, in my opinion. Case in point, cult leader Jeffrey Lundgren gunned down a family of five over a religious difference of opinion. Now, Lundgren has joined a suit of several death row inmates claiming that lethal injection, particularly in their physical situations, would amount to cruel and inhuman punishment. Lundgren says that his diabetes and obessity would make lethal injection a particularly lengthy and painful process for him.
Fine. I hate to sound heartless, but I have a solution: guillotine. Make sure the blade is nice and sharp. Offer him any substance of his choosing to relax him prior to the scheduled event. Alcohol, muscle relaxants, or even a nice big bucket of chicken from KFC.
Frankly, while I agree with the Consitutional sentiment prohibiting "cruel and inhuman punishment", there are dozens of ways to kill someone relatively quickly with little pain. If lethal injection is problematic, offer the condemned the opportunity to pick their preferred method of "quick" sentence implementation.
Some might ask for a nice bullet to the back of the head. That would also work for me. Maybe I'll offer my opinions on gun control at some point.
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2 comments:
I agree in sentiment. There are people who forfeit their right to life when they coldly and cruelly take someone else's.
My problems with the death penalty are two-fold. One -- our legal system is not fair and equal. People who can afford the best lawyers rarely end up on death row. Semi-retarded poor people end up on death row. People with public defenders end up on death row.
Two -- we make mistakes. And putting someone to death cannot be taken back. No do-overs. No release after thirty years with an apology.
Are there people out there that I would gladly flick the switch for? You bet. But do I want society to excecute an innocent person in my name? do I want them to find a convenient scapegoat to fry?
Nope. Fix the system first, then fry 'em.
There are inequities in the system. And, I agree, you cannot take it back if you mistakenly convict and execute someone.
There are just some instances that the guilt and remorselessness are so blatantly clear that in makes me wild.
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