***Read Disclaimer and Warning before posting a reply****
A personal struggle of mine.
I am pro-life to an extent. I hate the war because how can you send normal (non-murderers) people to kill people, to teach other people, killing is wrong?
However, by the same token. When is enough, enough?!?
We, America, are very tolerant of too much, yet way too incredulous and blind sighted in many other things.(hint= ongoing war, other nationalities, and cultures)
I feel we have way too many opportunities for people to cop out of their responsiblities. For example, oh…say…MURDER. Lawyer says “You’r honor so-and-so was NOt in their full mental capacities when they stabbed so -and-so 12 times”…..hmmm No crap Sherlock. Anger is known to derail rational train of thought.
I get angry ALL the time, I don’t go and murder people. Of course they were out of there reasonable functions hence why the Penal system was created. We have general society for the rest of us who do not behave savagely when angered.
Now to the meat of this blog. While searching under grieving and Domestic Violence articles I ran accross at least 3 “protests” to the Death Penalty. Okay, here is the dilema. As a grieving Parent I wish that on No One, no parent, at all. Murderers have parents. Who am I to decide who lives? However, as Aunt to a 2 year old with no mother, and sister to a savagely murdered woman I have questions.
I have a inner battle with this, a BIG one. One second I want these savages to live and Suffer knowing what the finished result of their massacre was. However, why should we, Tax Paying, Law Abiding, Non-Murdering Citizens pay for it?
That is a double slap to the face. Not only o murderers ruin lives, but the very lives they ruined have to live knowing a portion of their taxes support these criminals lives. Anyhow, On these petitions to save these murderers lives, there are quotes from the bible, their families, and friends, and the murderers. Where is our quotes? Where are the murdered families quotes and stories? Who asked us permission before our family member was murdered? My sister wasn’t allowed to live after begging them not too kill her.My sister wasn’t offered her favorite meal, and a sterile, comfortable, peaceful environment. My sister, and countless other homicide victims, were NOT offered a Cumbaya song, a jesus loves you and a last goodbye.
As a matter a fact Raping pedophiles who slaughter their prey are “ill” and “need help”. Okay, obviously, but where were the poor innocent victims help?
There is stories of the ripple of effects that the convicted murderers lives and families lives will have. All it will destroy, if they are executted.
Well where is The VICTIMS stories?!? Where is the story of the baby who was shot? Where is the story of how now there is one more messed up child to grow up parentless? where is the story of how we can’t lay down at night because we see the bloody mattres…or how we can’t erase our loved ones phones numbers out of our cell phones, or how about how we can’t go no where without being questioned if we “really” think so-and-so “did it” or asked about the murder or legal process?! Where is our story and protest?!?
Nobody had the curtosy to ask me if I wanted my sister to die. She wasn’t given a notice, a last meal, a last visit.
okay.woosah….calm down. This really was NOT supposed to be about me.
(returns to subject at hand)
Why do we hear so much about the killers and so little about their victims? Why is it that the heinous acts they committed are so conveniently ommited? I am a God fearing person. I believe in God and therefore don’t believe in murder, God gives life, not I, but if I’m pro-death what does that make me? Where do I stand?
I have so many conflicting views on this subject. I don’t believe we should go around serving death sentences at every “murder”. For example if a murderer accidently (by hitting them too hard or in the wrong place or accidently) killed a person then depending on the circumstances of that victims death, that should be the Killers sentence.
However singing Kumbaya, chanting Jesus loves you so a particularily heinous murderer doesn’t get LEGALLY executed isn’t exatly what God had in his intentions when he said “forgive thy brother”….or is it?
By the same token, isn’t it heinous that as a nation we still have killings? This is a barbaric act. Thou killed so thy shall kill you. hmmm I’m not too sure about that.
I think if we were too serve swift, quick punishments we will see a trickle effect of barbaric killings dwindling. Think about it…..if killers can’t plead mantal insanity, and get easier “hospital stay” jail time they’ll just cop out, or “tattle” on their accomplices and still get away with less than they deserve.
When will we stop providing irresponsible people cop outs? We are all handed negatives in life, some of us make pictures out of them. Why should people be treated differently? Okay their childhood sucked….well a Lot of peoples did too….I’m not a criminal, or a drug addict, drunk, racist and I was hardly raised perfectly.
The truth is people need cop outs and excuses so they can justify their meaningles existence or their horrible, senseless actions.
In the words of Martin Luther King “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.
Having somebodies child, son, uncle, cousin, or sister legally executed is still hurting their family. It’s still an injustice, so what do we do?! Someone is going to suffer. In all reality, personally, yes back to me, hey it’s my blog.., Any horrible thing that can happen to my sisters murderer is NOT going to change what happened to her. It’s NOT going to bring her back, it’s not going to change what and how it was done to her and US.
Executions should still be legal though. You have child rapist/mutilators, savage serial killers, and personal cases such as mine. If murderers felt they were going to suffer or die maybe, Just MAYBE, we would begin to see a trickle effect of murders dwindling down. Think about it.
What are your views or opinions on the Death Penalty?
What is your opinion on the blog?
**dedicated to all the victims of homicide and my Sister Brenda**
**Disclaimer and WARNING**
Abuse, threats, name calling too other replies by other members or visitors will be deleted. I am Not suggesting I want to become a murderer nor insinuating this should be criminals or a particular persons demise, I am just speaking of the great debate. I am not high School drama promoter, take that elsewhere, this is NOT that type of Blog. If you have an opinion, post it by all means and or your thoughts. ~ Holly
Holly here is my take. Just an opinion as I know this is probably a very emotional subject for you. You wrote this blog for victim/survivors of homicide. I am writing as the result of one of those that never was held to justice and here is my opinion.
I believe that we as taxpayers…yes, even me, ought to pay to keep them there for the rest of their lives. I don’t think that prison is a nice place. The reason I think that we ought to is for Victims, Offenders and Society. Maybe if all of us taxpayers had to “suck it up” even more, we would hold more offenders accountable, help more victims try and make sense of their shattered lives, etc.
What bothers me exceptionally badly is that they (prisoners) are paid $35.00 a day in the prison system for the work that they do. You gotta be kidding me! Do the victims families ever see one red cent of that money in restitution? NO! They certainly do not. What about funeral expenses, hospital bills, relocation expenses, etc. when these people do their crimes. That $35.00 a day can add up to a hefty amount.
Let’s assume they only have to work 5 days a week, which is probably the case since they afforded all the “rights” anyway. Over one year that adds up to $8,400. (I knew a guy that served 30 years for armed robbery. He told me this is what they got paid). Over the term of the person I referred to sentence he received over $252,000. He had committed 13 armed robberies and never paid one dime in restitution. How in the SAM HILL does that work? Now multiple that by how many are in the penal system. Staggering isn’t it?
Back to social responsibility…maybe if people in society actually knew this rather than placing their petty little judgements that has no basis in facts on the victim, our society would act more socially responsible “across the board”. Truth is the general masses that seem to have a lot to say about illegal immigration, domestic violence, pornography and the like have little to no experience being on the receiving end of that spectrum. They are FOOLS and God will judge them for their OMISSIONS, whether it be in this life or the next. Let them work for $5.00 a day and listen to their kids cry at night because they don’t have enough to eat. Let them have to move to another state in the middle of the night, where they know no one, just to protect their own life and be reduced to the lowest level of poverty. Let them have someone hold a gun to their head like “Linda Lovelace” of “Deepthroat” fame, who is now a staunch feminist.
Truth is America is a capitalistic society. All the general masses of American People really care about is money, power, etc. They are oblivious to the fact that it cost them more to be oblivious than it would be to be socially responsible. Crime would be lowered and the overall effect on cost to the American People by being pro-active and giving a hand-up to our fellow man-kind would not only create a better society, but be cost effective and socially responsible. Most of them probably don’t have a clue that we are paying violent criminals $35.00 a day to labor in the prisons, which comes out of our taxpaying dollars and NOTHING goes to the victims of crimes, except to those reduced to poverty to come under the oppression of the welfare system.
What if that $35.00 a day went to the victims or their families for every day that they spent behind bars? What if that $35.00 went toward a socialized healthcare system, where it was a law abiding citizens “right” to health care. You know why it isn’t. Because it is a “criminal” justice system, not a social justice system. The only reason that our country pays for health care for poor children is that they are looking forward to 35 to 40 years of taxpaying. Once you become elderly and no longer “serve your taxpaying purposes to this country” you are “thrown away”. The only reason they allow illegal immigrants to work is to create a “slave state” and line their own pockets. These people, the ones who create and foster these laws have a LOT to protect, but have no regard for the other 99% of their fellow human kind. But, we will pay a guy to stamp out license plates and take care of other social ingrates. To sum it up, in plain English…it is a stupid system. I don’t believe in the death penalty either, rather I believe that we should move toward a “social” justice system rather than a “criminal” justice system. Also, giving everyone the right to equal protection under the legal system.
I do think that the majority of them are scum, and I know that their families will hurt, but here is the deal. Their should be social accountability in every society. It is the best way to maintain order and create healthy populations.
As a Muslim I believe in the Qur’anic injunction that whoever commits murder must pay with his own life, after being found guilty in a court of law of course. This is not revenge or “government sanctioned murder.” It is justice. The authority comes not from any human being or organization, but from God. In Islam this is called Al-Qisas, the law of equality in punishment. The same law is prescribed by the Bible, which dictates an eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life. It’s a universal law that has been recognized throughout human history. What could be more appropriate or just?
However, the death penalty in the United States has been found to be unequally applied. A minority (African-American or Hispanic) convicted of the same crime as a white is more likely to get the death penalty. Furthermore, African-Americans are more likely to be charged with the death penalty in the first place.
In addition, a person of wealth and status can pay for a top notch legal team that will help him avoid the death penalty, and maybe even get off completely.
Until the justice system in the USA applies equally to all people, regardless of race or social status, I cannot support the death penalty here.
By the way, for those readers who believe everything they may have read or heard about Islam, let me correct a common Western misconception: Islam does NOT command or authorize Muslims to kill non-believers. In fact, the Qur’an says, “Whoever kills a single human being unjustly is as though he had killed all of humankind.” (Surah al-Ma’ida ayah 32). A Muslim is allowed to fight (and kill, if necessary) only in self defense. Anyone who claims or acts otherwise is violating Islamic teaching.
Very good reply I had one here to you and accidentally deleted it. Allah knows what we don’t InshaAllah one day all injustice will end. I leave it all to him these days.. Alhamdulilah
Wow. I am astonished,well hardly, I know your level of intelligence….
Was this a reply or a blog in itself? This is great T. You covered a LOT of ground, ALL subjects and ideas I share and agree on. I am pleasantly shocked as to all the ground you covered. This is like 8 blogs and answers in one!
I wasn’t trying to take over your blog. This is just a topic that really gets me going. I tire of opinions from those that have “never been there”. Life aint about what you get while your here it is about what people say about you after your gone. I believe that each life has an impact and should be a legacy for a better future. When people speak about the economy and such things as SUV’s, etc. they only see the world through the view of their own selfish little lenses. Those lenses worry about mortgages, car payments, etc., you can also view it from another perspective and call it insecure and cowardly. The answer is faith. As you know, I am a christian and not the “well I grew up that way” kind. Jesus was a radical reformer. A life that spoke truth at all times and did good to all. He never held a political office, never traveled and most of the time was homeless, but his life left an impact that has changed countless of people’s lives. It changed mine and because of him and what he did, I do not fear and walk in that faith that he will answer.
Oh take over anytime. As a matter a fact,……well you know what I’ll send you a private message