Since 18th century BC, during the time the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon reigned supreme in China, there has been the existence of the death penalty. At the time, there were 25 different crimes listed to which death was a possible punishment. The first historically recorded execution was in 16th century BC where a man was sentenced to death for supposedly practicing magic in Egypt. Even then, at the very inception of the death penalty, there were different methods and procedures for the different classes and races of people.
Though the death penalty is being abolished across the world at a rate of three countries a year, the death penalty is still a part of present day American culture, and has been since 1608, when a man was executed for treason. Many people today, both southerners and northerners alike, are adamant in their support of the death penalty. Many feel that that the death penalty is supported by the bible, and many agree with it because of the deterrent affect it has on others—though this claim is debatable. The death penalty makes people feel secure; it makes them feel like the bad people of the world are being eradicated. They feel like they make a difference when they vote for someone who shares their support of the death penalty. The death penalty has become almost a cultural issue, if you're raised to believe in it, then you do. I feel that compromise could only be reached after people are more well informed and are no longer as ignorant about the subject. Many states have slowly begun to abolish the death penalty from their state constitutions. And though it is a state by state decision, it still remains a national issue.
One central argument with the death penalty is the belief by some that the institution of the death penalty is not fair or equal, and also, is it the government’s role to execute its citizens? Who’s to say who has the authority to decide when someone should die? Are we not just perpetuating the cycle of violence by violently killing violent offenders? These are questions at the center of the argument of the death penalty. Is the death penalty really effective in helping to keep us safe? Or is it just a cyclical cycle of violence that is self perpetuating?
9 comments:
Lauren,
I really like how you display the history of the death penalty. It gives the reader insight and knowledge about the topic on which they can formulate their opinions. It is also interesting how you present that the death penalty is being abolished at a rate of three countries per year. This lets the public know that other countries are viewing the death penalty as unethical and taking initiative to abolish it.
You set up why the death penalty came into existence very well and why many in America feel that it is necessary. I agree that although many may be comforted by the fact that the "bad" people are being killed, they seem to forget all the innocent that have also died from the death penalty. In my opinion I think one innocent life taken by the death penalty is one to many. I also think that many people just do not know all the facts about the death penalty and are extremely naive in thinking that our government is always just and true. As more people become aware of all the facts I hope this issue in America will disappear into our history books and just be something that is a part of our past and not our present.
The state should be secular in the first place and any religious text should not have any say so in a policy decision. So when people say that the death penalty is approved by the Bible and therefore should be approved by the government are wrong. If the government kills people for committing murder but lets other people get life in jail for murder is not right. Also, because the majority of people put to death are minority, it shows that the death penalty does not work. In addition only a few states account for a majority of executions which is another reason the death penalty should be abolished. The United States wants to be the top country in the world but to do that they need to be economically strong and just. You presented how other countries are abolishing the death penalty so why cannot the US. When many of the allies of the US do not have the death penalty but the US does, how does the US look among their allies.
The death penalty is a statute set up by an ancient state of belief evident in nearly every religious text: and eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. Since these ideologies were worked into our own culture, we seldom fail to stop and question the practicality of it in our society today. Many may argue that it connects us with a tradition set up by wise men in another civilization. Others may see it as vestigial. Either way, it's an issue everyone must ask themselves: does our government--an entity with enormous power, have the right to take away something as precious and fragile as life?
although i believe that the death penalty policies that our government carries out at this point in time are not effective or by any means completely just, i do not believe that the death penalty should be completely abolished. as a part of our history, the death penalty has served as a way to ensure that those who do by means of the government and the public be punished effectively. alot of it is all relative as well. situations would make people change heir minds. unless some one is 100% provably guilty of a crime i do not think that they should be put to death. but if it comes down to that persons confession and their crime warrants a punishment of death, they did and they deserve that punishment.
If America is truly commited to being the leader of the free world, then the American government should take a stand at disallowing capitol punishment as the death penalty. You said that the penalty was banned at a rate of three countries a year, that is quite impressive! And would seem hard for a "world leader" like the US not to notice. I understand that the penalty is noted on a statewide basis, but I think the federal government should take charge over this issue and put a stop to it once and for all.
I like your blog. The use of images captures the readers. But they seem to be an emotional appeal. Do you think that creating an emotional appeal is the best way to win people over to the anti-death penalty side?
Many of you commented on the statement that the death penalty seems to be archaic, an outdated tradition that our "progressive nation" is slow to abolish. I agree, and hope that the institution of the death penalty will quickly be eradicated and become only an inegalitartian tradition from the past like slavery.
I believe our current president has something to do with this apparent stagnation. I think that the recent insurgence of religion back into politics has been harmful to the nation as a whole. Not to say that religion is bad, just that it is undeniably makes people more judgmental. If you believe in the bible and it tells you something is wrong, than generally that becomes your belief. I find it horrifying when people use the bible to justify why we should have the death penalty, that is fine for a personal belief, but not for the establishment of a law. The bible is not an appropriate reason to qualify a law in a country with a defined "separation of church and state."
Nicole, I also agree with your statement, "that one innocent life taken by the death penalty is one too many." The death penalty is much to irreversible punishment for it to have such a broad margin of error.
Mr. M.G. Sailors, your statement on the power of the government definitely strikes a cord with me. I do not think that the government has the invested power to take the life of it's citizens. What gives us the authority to decide life or death?
Also Ashton, I agree that a lot of my blog is an appeal to pathos, but I feel it is what is most effective for the topic. I would not say that it is completely pathetic appeal, as the statistics and quotes are an appeal to ethos.
Thank you all for commenting!
The USA has the death penalty because a majority find it to be a just and approritate sanction for some crimes.
Death Penalty Polls - Support Remains Very High
Dudley Sharp, Justice Matters, contact info below
Death penalty support is much deeper and much wider than we are often led to believe, with significant percentages of those who say they, generally, oppose the death penalty, actually supporting it under specific circumstances.
General Support
76% of Americans find that we should impose the death penalty more or that we impose it about right - only 21% that it is imposed too often. (Gallup, May 2006 - 51% that we should impose it more, 25% that we impose it about right)
71% find capital punishment morally acceptable - that was the highest percentage answer for all questions (Gallup, April 2006, moral values poll). In May, 2007, the percentage dropped to 66%, still the highest percentage answer, with 27% opposed. (Gallup, 5/29/07)
When asked the general question "do you support capital punishment for murderers?" , 67% of Americans said yes, with 28% opposed (Gallup, 10/06).
Specific Case Support is much higher
81% of the American people supported the execution of Timothy McVeigh, with only 16% opposed. "(T)his view appears to be the consensus of all major groups in society, including men, women, whites, nonwhites, "liberals" and "conservatives." (Gallup 5/2/01).
85% of pf the primarily liberal Connecticut respondents voiced support for serial/rapist murderer Michael Ross' "voluntary" execution. (Quinnipiac University Poll, January 12, 2005).
79% support the death penalty for terrorists (Survey USA News Poll #12074, Sponsor: WABC-TV New York, 4/26/2007 New York State poll)
73% of Connecticut voters support the death penalty for the two parolees accused of the Cheshire (Ct) home invasion rape/murders of a mother and her two daughters. While 63% of Connecticut voters support the death penalty for murderers, in general, AT THE SAME TIME. ("Connecticut Voters Support Death Penalty 2-1", Quinnipiac University Poll, 11/7/07). NOTE: Support is more than 3 to 1. The poll showed 73% for execution, 23% opposed, for those parolees. It was 63-27% for the general question.
This, from the French daily Le Monde, December 2006 (1):
Percentage of respondents in favor of executing Saddam Hussein:
Great Britain: 69%
France: 58%
Germany: 53%
Spain: 51%
Italy: 46% (my note: This falls within the margin of error for 50% support)USA: 82%
We are led to believe there isn't death penalty support in England or Europe. European governments won't allow executions when their populations support it: they're anti democratic. (2)
Why the large "error rate" between general and specific case support?
That very wide "error rates", between general support and specific case support, is likely due to the differences in (1) the widespread media coverage of anti death penalty claims, without the balance of contradicting those false claims, producing lower general support, (2) the absence of that influence when looking at individual cases when the public knows the crimes, the guilt of the murderer, and absent the anti death penalty bias factor, thus producing much higher specific case support and/or (3) reluctance of some respondents to voice stronger support for the death penalty, unless specific examples of murderers and their crimes are provided, as evidenced within (1) and (2).
Death Penalty Opposition? Look Again.
Significant percentages of those who say the oppose the death penalty do, in fact, support that sanction under specific circumstances. This provides firm evidence that death penalty support is much wider and deeper than expressed with the answer to the general death penalty polling questions.
57% of those who say they oppose the death penalty, generally, actually do support it for McVeigh's execution (81% supported the execution of McVeigh, 16% opposed (Gallup 5/02/01), while 65% offer general support for executions, with 28% opposed (Gallup, 6/10/01). The polls were conducted at nearly the same time.
40% who say they oppose the death penalty, generally, actually do support it for terrorists. (79% support and 18% oppose the death penalty for terrorists. 67% support and 29% oppose the death penalty for murder.) (SAME POLL - Survey USA News Poll #12074, Sponsor: WABC-TV New York, 4/26/2007 New York State poll)
90% of those who, generally, say they oppose the death penalty, actual did support it for Michael Ross. (SAME POLL - 85% say Connecticut serial rapist/murderer Michael Ross should be allowed to waive appeals and be executed. When asked whether they favor or oppose the death penalty, 59% favor - 31% oppose (Quinnipiac University Poll, January 12, 2005).
Distortion: Death Penalty vs Life Without Parole Polls
When responding to this question: “If you could choose between the following two approaches, which do you think is the better penalty for murder: the death penalty (or) life imprisonment, with absolutely no possibility of parole?”, Gallup found
47% for the death penalty, 48% for life without parole, (Gallup, May 2006).
Some, including Gallup and Quinnipiac, speculate that this represents lower support for the death penalty. Such improper speculation cannot be justified and is an unethical use of pollsters opinion.
Neither respondent group is saying do away with the other sanction or that they oppose the other sanction. What is does mean is that 95% of US citizens support the death penalty and/or life without parole for murderers. It could also mean that 85% of all respondents support both sanctions.
For example, "Which do you think is better - vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream?" 50% prefer chocolate, 45% vanilla. However, 85% actually like both vanilla and chocolate ice cream - with a slightly lower percentage liking vanilla, marginally less.
Also, this Gallup question is highly prejudicial, which wrongly influence the answers. This has become commonplace.
First, "absolutely" no possibility of parole doesn't exist.
What is absolute is that the executive branch can reduce sentences and the legislature can change the laws and make them retroactive, if it benefits the criminal, thereby offering two avenues for parole in "absolute" no-parole cases.
Therefore, the polling question offers a false premise which, obviously, distorts the answers. Gallup has been made aware of this for some time.
Secondly, by law it cannot be a choice of either only a death sentence or only a life sentence, as Gallup wrongly poses. Constitutionally, the death penalty cannot be mandatory. Therefore, at least two sentencing options must always be provided to jurors in a death penalty eligible case.
Gallup did not ask this question in 2007. I hope they did it because of theses error issues and will not resume it in the future.
The proper questions might be, IF you are searching for a true life vs execution choice,:
For (specific case) murderers, do you prefer the punishment options of
1) The death penalty or life without parole? or
2) Life without parole, only, or lesser sentences, excluding a death sentence in all cases?
Furthermore, this has the benefit of reflecting reality, as opposed to the distorted fiction of Gallup's (and others') current life vs death questions. The death penalty cannot be a punishment option, without also having life or other options and the death penalty is case specific.
Conclusion
Death penalty support is much deeper and much wider than we are often led to believe, with significant percentages of those who say they, generally, oppose the death penalty, actually supporting it under specific circumstances.
There is 82% death penalty support in the US, as recently as December 2006. Even the most liberal of US states, Connecticut, has shown very strong support for specific case executions - 85% (2005), 73% (2007).
95% of US citizens support the death penalty and/or life without parole for murderers. Therefore, we already have the most democratic approach - we give jurors the choice between those two sentences in capital eligible cases.
Dudley Sharp, Justice Matters
email sharpjfa@aol.com, phone 713-622-5491
Houston, Texas
Mr. Sharp has appeared on ABC, BBC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC, NPR, PBS and many other TV and radio networks, on such programs as Nightline, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, The O'Reilly Factor, etc., has been quoted in newspapers throughout the world and is a published author.
A former opponent of capital punishment, he has written and granted interviews about, testified on and debated the subject of the death penalty, extensively and internationally.
Pro death penalty sites
homicidesurvivors(dot)com/categories/Dudley%20Sharp%20-%20Justice%20Matters.aspx
www(dot)dpinfo.com
www(dot)cjlf.org/deathpenalty/DPinformation.htm
www(dot)clarkprosecutor.org/html/links/dplinks.htm
joshmarquis(dot)blogspot.com/
www(dot)lexingtonprosecutor.com/death_penalty_debate.htm
www(dot)prodeathpenalty.com
www(dot)yesdeathpenalty.com/deathpenalty_contents.htm (Sweden)
(1) The recent results of a poll conducted by Novatris/Harris for the French daily Le Monde on the death penalty shocked the editors and writers at Germany's left-leaning SPIEGEL ONLINE (Dec. 22, 2006). When asked whether they favored the death penalty for Saddam Hussein, a majority of respondents in Germany, France and Spain responded in the affirmative.
(2)An excellent article, “Death in Venice: Europe’s Death-penalty Elitism", details this anti democratic position (The New Republic, by Joshua Micah Marshall, 7/31/2000). Another situation reflects this same mentality. "(Pres. Mandela says 'no' to reinstating the death penalty in South Africa - Nelson Mandela against death penalty though 93% of public favors it, according to poll. "(JET, 10/14/96). Pres. Mandela explained that ". . . it was necessary to inform the people about other strategies the government was using to combat crime." As if the people didn't understand. South Africa has had some of the highest crime rates in the world in the ten years, since Mandela's comments. "The number of murders committed each year in the country is as high as 47,000, according to Interpol statistics." As of 2006, 72% of South Africans want the death penalty back. ("South Africans Support Death Penalty", 5/14/2006, Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research).
Copyright 2005-2007
Permission for distribution of this document is approved as long as it is distributed in its entirety, without changes, inclusive of this statement.
Post a Comment