Another opinion
The next opinion that I'd like to post and open for discussion is capital punishment.
On an emotional level, I am 100% in favor of it - swift justice - no questions asked - a .45 caliber slug right between the eyes - get it over with and at minimal cost to the taxpayers. Especially in the case of child molesters, those who rape and kill senior citizens, etc. Sentence to be meted out by law enforcement with an option for family members of the victim to deliver it.
I sat on a grand jury for three months and became convinced that the prison system (at least at the local level) does nothing to rehabilitate wrong-doers. Most of the folks we saw were repeat offenders with each new offense a little more serious than the last - a downward spiral. I truly believe that there are 'bad' people out there that will never be made into 'good' people.
There was the 45 year-old uncle of a three year old boy who was caught in the barn at his BROTHER'S house having the three year old NEPHEW perform oral sex on him. His excuse - it was the child's idea ..... BANG - DONE! There was also the guy who was molesting the 12 year-old baby-sitter and told her if she told anyone, he'd get her eight-year-old sister too! Or Tim McVeigh, our very own Jeff Lundgren (google him - he's a real piece of work), and WHY is Charles Manson sill alive? Or those bastards who beat that gay kid out in Wyoming to death - or the guy in Texas who dragged the black buy behind his pickup truck for miles?
Why waste taxpayer dollars keeping these slugs alive? It can cost upwards of $25,000 a year to house the worst of the worst - why waste the money?
On the other hand (I remind myself of Tevye), I am anti-abortion / pro-life so I have this disparity of beliefs. How can I be pro-life regarding the unborn and anti-life for the criminal - I don't know how to reconcile these two.
I guess in the end, I'll react emotionally to reports of heinous criminal activity wishing for immediate execution but when rational thought takes over, I'll be more in favor of life-long imprisonment - at hard labor - in prisons like those in Turkey.
That said, if anyone ever TOUCHES my kids or nieces or nephews, I'll pull the trigger!
On an emotional level, I am 100% in favor of it - swift justice - no questions asked - a .45 caliber slug right between the eyes - get it over with and at minimal cost to the taxpayers. Especially in the case of child molesters, those who rape and kill senior citizens, etc. Sentence to be meted out by law enforcement with an option for family members of the victim to deliver it.
I sat on a grand jury for three months and became convinced that the prison system (at least at the local level) does nothing to rehabilitate wrong-doers. Most of the folks we saw were repeat offenders with each new offense a little more serious than the last - a downward spiral. I truly believe that there are 'bad' people out there that will never be made into 'good' people.
There was the 45 year-old uncle of a three year old boy who was caught in the barn at his BROTHER'S house having the three year old NEPHEW perform oral sex on him. His excuse - it was the child's idea ..... BANG - DONE! There was also the guy who was molesting the 12 year-old baby-sitter and told her if she told anyone, he'd get her eight-year-old sister too! Or Tim McVeigh, our very own Jeff Lundgren (google him - he's a real piece of work), and WHY is Charles Manson sill alive? Or those bastards who beat that gay kid out in Wyoming to death - or the guy in Texas who dragged the black buy behind his pickup truck for miles?
Why waste taxpayer dollars keeping these slugs alive? It can cost upwards of $25,000 a year to house the worst of the worst - why waste the money?
On the other hand (I remind myself of Tevye), I am anti-abortion / pro-life so I have this disparity of beliefs. How can I be pro-life regarding the unborn and anti-life for the criminal - I don't know how to reconcile these two.
I guess in the end, I'll react emotionally to reports of heinous criminal activity wishing for immediate execution but when rational thought takes over, I'll be more in favor of life-long imprisonment - at hard labor - in prisons like those in Turkey.
That said, if anyone ever TOUCHES my kids or nieces or nephews, I'll pull the trigger!