The death penalty is offered in 30 states in the United States. Last year 23 people were executed on death penalty. Was their crime bad enough to end their lives? An eye for an eye? Does it make sense to correct a wrong with another wrong?
In The Stranger, by Albert Camus, Meursault, the main character, is put on death penalty for murdering another man. To end another's life is an awful crime. He cut the Arab's life short probably by 50 years, causing so much pain to his family and friends that will have a lasting impact on them forever. But then something does not add up. How can killing a man be corrected by killing someone else? Meursault's friends will suffer just as much as the Arab's friends. His death will still be painful. My personal opinion is that convicted felons would be punished more if spending the rest of their life in prison. There they are stripped of their freedom and have nothing to do but think of the awful mistake they made to get in prison. This I personally feel like is the more morally correct decision and the felon would still serve their punishment.
I agree that a life in prison is a harsher penalty than being killed. I feel like it brings all of society down to the level of the murderer by killing the murderer.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Not only does the death penalty risk wrongful execution, but I see it as an out for the perpetrator. I'm not sure how I feel about reformation, but if it were possible, then I suppose the death penalty would inhibit that possibility...
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