I was originally going to try and fit everything I wanted to say into a catchall post, but the two main items are too disparate, and the moods too different, so two posts it will be.
In the aftermath of a high profile murder trial here in the UK which has ended in the last few days, there have been the, to me, depressingly familiar screams for the death penalty to be reinstated in this country, mostly by or through the appallingly reactionary tabloid press we're cursed with. Given the title I've chosen for this post, I doubt too many people will be surprised to hear that I'm 100% against capital punishment. I have two main reasons for this opposition. Firstly, the ethical position, as I see it. If you, by way of your place as a citizen of a country, support the execution of people for their crimes, whatever that crime may be, I don't see how you can claim moral superiority over the criminal. If someone takes a life, and then has their life taken by the state by way of punishment, what's the difference in the moral position? As far as I'm concerned, one murder is followed by another, albeit legally sanctioned. Life is either sacrosanct, or it isn't. The second reason, and perhaps the most important to my mind, is the possibility of miscarriage of justice. No judicial system, in my opinion, can be infallible. As a system by, for and of people, it's inevitable that mistakes will be made. Anyone who thinks capital punishment is just should, in my opinion, consider how their conscience might deal with the knowledge that they had contributed, as a juror, witness, or even executioner, to the killing of a person who was subsequently proven to be innocent. Maybe I'm in a small minority in saying this in such a forthright way, but I would rather see 1000 murderers walk free than see one innocent person executed. Can anything be more pitifully useless than a posthumous pardon?
Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B
Sammy
ReplyDeleteI agree with you entirely, on both arguments. Fortunately, our politicians also seem to be in agreement, or at least they don't feel strongly enough to try to change anything.
It seems particularly hypocritical that the tabloids baying for the reintroduction of the death penalty are also those blithely carrying the stories of the relatives of those believed wrongfully executed, who are now struggling for pardons for their loved ones.
Take care
Mark
I agree 100%. The number of people here that are now being shown as innocent - mostly based on poor eyewitness testimony (or more rarely, prosecutorial misconduct) is amazing. I find it amazing that anyone with an ounce of morals can support a death penalty.
ReplyDeletePeace <3
Jay
Hello Mark and Jay
ReplyDeleteThis is another of those issues I feel particularly strongly about, as the post doubtless suggests. Crime needs to be punished, if it can't be prevented, but for something as irrevocable as capital punishment to be used reduces the 'moral citizen' to a position as low, if not lower than the criminal. The death penalty, in the context of the current case I referred to, is purely an issue of revenge, in my opinion, and if 'justice' is based purely on revenge, we may as well rip up the legal code and rely on blood feud.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
Given all the mistakes the Courts habitually make by convicting innocent people I am TOTALLY against the arrogance of the death penalty.
ReplyDeleteI also happen to think that telling anyone that they can decide to kill someone else is always likely to prove to be the thin end of the wedge.
Finally I have a humanistic hatred of murder, however caused. I think that's possibly because I am a human who thinks and feels.
So I'm relieved and gladdened that you're sensible about this too.
Hello Micky
ReplyDeleteI certainly agree with you about the 'thin end of the wedge' scenario. It puts me in mind of the well-known 'an eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind' adage.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
I agree 100%. I don't see the difference between "murder" and "executions", it's just the same to me. Executions ARE actually legal murder. No civilized state should kill its citizens, no matter what they've done. I argued in a very similar way to you on my blog as you know :)
ReplyDeleteHello Thomas
ReplyDeleteThis is a subject I feel particularly strongly about, as you can probably tell. Thank you for visiting and following my blog, and for your comment.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B