Shots Across The Bow

By special request

By special request A loyal reader (Hi Mom!) has requested that I do a piece on capital punishment.

It's interesting that she asked that question because my thoughts have recently changed 180 degrees. I used to be a supporter of the death penalty. There are some crimes so heinous and horrible that the only possible response is to kill the perpetrator. I can think of several right off the bat.

I don't worry that innocent people might get caught up and executed by mistake. That argument works for any sentence; which would be worse, to die innocent of crime, or to live the rest of your life in prison as an innocent man? Should we outlaw life sentences on that basis? Of course not. We build every possible appeal we can into the system, and it must be working, because we haven't had a documented case of an innocent man being executed yet. We've had several close shaves, and there may be one or two that we haven't heard of, or been able to prove.
But, how many lives have we lost by not sentencing these animals to death? How many additional lives have they been able to destroy, because of our compassion? The numbers game can be played either way, but is ultimately meaningless because you can't put a number to the worth of a life. Is the man who is mistakenly executed more innocent than the victim of a murderer released on parole? Both are dead based on an error of the system. How can you distinguish the two? Do you go by quantity? Two lives are worth more than one? I don't think so.

So, two of the most common, rational arguments against the death penalty fail. So why do I oppose it?

I have two issues with the death penalty. First, I don't think the state should be in the business of deciding who lives and who dies. That's more power than I feel comfortable giving up. Second, I don't like the toll it takes on the people responsible for carrying out the execution. Unless you are a complete sociopath, taking a life changes you. No matter how deserving of death the animal may be, to kill in cold blood would place a terrible burden on the executioner. If it didn't, he would be just as bad as the monster he is executing, only he is sanctioned by the state.

"When you dance with the devil, the devil doesn't change; the devil changes you."

I believe this is true, but would still be willing and able to pull the trigger, throw the switch, or pop the needle myself, and sleep like a baby that night. I don't like that part of me, and don't trust it; I sure as hell don't want to encourage it in myself, or in my government.

Posted by Rich at February 25, 2002 3:56 PM