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Student MG
AP Language
Mrs. Tatum
November 18, 2010
Ever since the American Revolution this country and its people have strived to be the
most successful nation in the world. We as a society have done well in making these strides, and
to my knowing, continue to desire to do so. While we have done such great things in our journey
to become the best, there are a few things that I regret that our nation has done. One of these
things is capital punishment. Capital punishment is said to be justice to those who deserve it, but,
we find ourselves misusing the word justice. Justice is the concept of moral rightness based on
ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, fairness, or equity. So are we really doing ourselves
Justice by murdering those who have murdered? As the old saying goes, two wrongs never make
a right. While numerous other countries around the globe have caught on and banished this
terrible process, including our neighbors to the north and south, we continue to proceed with this
dreadful act with over 50 criminals murdered just this past year. The time to make a change is
now.
Revenge is defined as a harmful act in response to a grievance, sounds oddly
familiar to capital punishment. In no way shape or form is revenge encouraged by our leaders, or
elders. So why is considered legal to commit revenge on the most drastic way. This is a question
that we must ask ourselves, are we really serving “justice” or are we simply getting revenge that
the dark side of our heart desires. Not only is revenge frowned upon in society, it also cost our
tax payers a few extra bucks, and when I say a few I mean on average “1.25 million more than a
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regular murder case” ( Eddimen 23) While revenge may seem like the best option when a loved
one is lost one must rethink the entire situation. If a criminal we to be asked if he would rather
have the death or life sentence he or she would probably chose life. This is because at a young
age, which most death row criminals are, one fears death, but if you were to ask a 75 year old
murderer restricted to prison life what he would rather have had chosen, I would guarantee they
would choose differently than before.
Here in America we pride ourselves on being much more humane than countries such as
China, Iran, or Iraq. We look at these countries and consider their means of justice as barbaric.
But how are we to put ourselves in this position when we follow many of the methods that these
countries use. By using the death penalty we put ourselves in the same catogorie as communist,
sexist, and murders. How can we consider ourselves a country of second chances when we deny
many people the right to a second chance? “Capital Punishment, the ultimate denial of civil
liberties, is a costly, irreversible and barbaric practice, the epitome of cruel and unusual
punishment.” ( Eddiemen 23) The Bible says that we should forgive those that have sinned
against us; the death penalty is an outright denial of this statement. Many may say that “It is far
more unusual to have no death penalty than to have a death penalty.” But, do we still act the way
we did in ancient times in modern society. NO! We continue to farther ourselves away from it,
we learn from history trying not to make the same mistakes that we did in the past. So, how can
we compare our modern day society to a society nowhere near as successful? It would be foolish
to continue to follow the ancient and outdated methods of so called justice as we move towards
and brighter and even more successful future.
The bottom line is capital punishment is an unforgiving and unchangeable
process. In the words of MLK “Capital punishment is society’s final assertion that it will not
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forgive.” (Eddlmen 23) As a nation that suposively gives second chances to those that messed up
the first one we sure do not show it here. Those who are for the death penalty say that it is doing
the community justice by taking away a criminal that would otherwise pollute it. First, a criminal
sentenced to life means that he is sentenced to life, not a partial life sentence. Also in the case of
Stanley Williams and many others are we really doing the community a favor, or are taking away
a life that was willing to help many others from making the same mistake. Stanley Williams was
a convicted murderer in 1979. He admitted to his crime eventually and dedicated the rest of his
life to making a difference in the community. He was executed in 2005 after many petitions to
discontinue his execution.
Capital punishment truly is a sad story. While it is bad here in America with of 50
criminals murdered we are simply setting an example for countries such as China who take it to
the extreme, executing over 10,000 many of them innocent. America has been the most
successful country on the globe and we pride ourselves on setting an example for everyone else
to follow. Freedom of speech and freedom of religion are just some of the liberties that our
country enjoys and we hope that many other countries will follow our example but what kind of
example are we really setting by murdering criminals. What kind of world do we plan to lead
into the future with the barbaric and ancient principles that we still follow. We must examine our
values, what are we really trying to accomplish with the death penalty, justice or revenge. “You
have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, do not
resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if
someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone
forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn
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away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:38-42) We must forgive those
that have sinned against us and stride forward as a society abandoning the ways of our past.
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Annotated Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turning_the_other_cheek, 16 November 2010
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment
Eddlem, Thomas R, Ten Anti- Death penalty Fallacies, The New American, Volume 18, number
11, June 3 2002, Page 23, Proquest, Web, November 12, 2010
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The Other One
Badniter, Robert, Death Not To B e Proud Capital Punishment is a blight in America’s image in
the world, Time International, Volume 157, May 21, 2001, Page 36, Proquest, Web,
November 10, 2010