We are not perfect beings. No one, not even the most rational, compassionate, and intelligent of us, is capable of deciding to murder another human being. We have all lived and, in doing so, have encountered situations that will colour our judgment. We make mistakes, yet we routinely give imperfect people the right to decide upon the premeditated and cold-blooded killing of another human being. To place the ultimate burden of life or death upon an individual or a group of individuals is to grant them a power that no one should be allowed to wield.
We commit murder in the name of society and send the message that homicide is an acceptable solution. This is immoral. This bloodshed is destructive of the common decency of our society. No decent and humane society kills their members. It does not benefit them in any way to do so. It neither deters crime nor is it cost-effective. When we make the irrevocable decision to eliminate a fellow member of our society, we take away the possibility of restitution if we are proven wrong.
Today, I am deeply ashamed to admit that I am an American. I am disgusted that atrocities are being carried out in my name.
1 comment:
And yet I don't think the death penalty is all that important of an issue. Not when we literally torture people, literally hold people without trial who we know are innocent, literally have government officials who we know are corrupt.
Complaining about the death penalty seems kind of decadent in comparison, practically frivolous.
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