Law and Hypocrisy

I am anti-death penalty. That hasn't always been the case. There was a time I believed in the death penalty. A sure deterrent for recidivism. From murder to speeding and parking violations, especially parking violations, death to all who violate the law. My views changed over the years. Maybe I mellowed out. I don't like the laws, but the Court has said the punishment is within the bounds of the Constitution.

I don't believe in abortion, but I believe in a woman having the right to have control of her body and to make choices. The Court has basically said that this is the way it is.

A recent capital case received an extraordinary allotment of airtime due to celebrity status. That shouldn't have had any bearing on the issue of life or death, but because the movers and shakers have the ability to milk the system it did. A convicted murderer should be secured from his punishment, because he wrote children's books and could be a benefit to society by preaching against the gang lifestyle to the nation's youth? Sorry, but the evidence in the case was overwhelming, the crime was heinous , a sentence was imposed and the appellate process ran its course. Bring me a much more salient reason to cause reversal.

One of my arguments against the death penalty has always been that the innocent, and I have seen it, can be convicted. But I don't necessarily believe that ten should be permitted to walk to save one. We have to draw the line somewhere and that's where we stand now. Personally, I believe that loss of freedom for life is a great punishment. Even those in minimum security facilities balk at their plight, not to mention those simply encumbered by ankle monitoring devices. Ask Martha. Hard time isn't just a party of drugs and sex. But the legality of a punishment of death has been decided and until one can successfully argue the illegality, lethal injections, firing squads, hangings, gas chambers and the Chair will continue.

Life, in and of itself, is a precious commodity. Emotions of the circumstance dictate that we are permitted to take one life in the name of choice and another in the name of justice. However, we can't have it both ways. Argument for one is argument against the other. So lays the hypocrisy.