(From Number23) AA Posters and Fam: How do you feel about the death penalty?

[scarletwoman]

7. This is difficult. I don't approve of the death penalty on general principles - the main one being,

I don't approve of granting the State the power to take a citizen's life. I suppose that ought to be my bottom line - but it's not quite.

If I conceive of the State as being a construct of the will of the citizens of that State - which is the ideal, but far from the reality, I know - then I can't help but consider that are certain circumstances in which I would want to consider someone's life forfeit due to their having committed particularly heinous and inhuman acts. And the State, acting in my name, ought to collect on that forfeiture by putting that person down - much as one would shoot a rabid animal. Remove that person from the "herd" so they cannot spread their infection.

On the other hand, in actual practice, the State seems to seek to kill far too many humans who do not actually merit being killed. And that's not to even mention all those who have been wrongfully convicted and sentenced due to prosecutorial misconduct, racism, classism, sexism, etc.

Do I "dislike" the death penalty? That seems too mild.

Do I "hate" the death penalty? That doesn't quite fit, either. "Hate" just isn't the right word.

I mostly don't approve, but I can't honestly say that I could never, ever approve in certain circumstances.