debating the ladder of the death penalty

a debate speech debating the ladder of capital punishment.

Debating the ladder of the Death penalty

-Nathan Cooley

            Many people have questioned the effectiveness of capital punishment. But, the fact of the matter remains is execution a proper form of disposing of heinous criminals? Common arguments for people debating the negative of execution consist of weak, if not irrelevant, components that not only can be shot down, but show how little reasons there actually are to support abolishing it.

For whatever reason, many claim that capital punishment of any form is inhumane. Also another comment that surfaces from time to time is that there is no justification for “playing God” and taking another mans life. A recent poll showed that 87% of Death row inmates where there for murder. Playing God? I think god thought this one through. Exodus 21:22-25: “An eye for an eye, A tooth for a tooth.”

Constantly, I here that the death penalty has a certain “moral distaste” now let me offer this as a rebuttal. Capital punishment was instated to keep the worst of society’s garbage in the trash were it belongs. The Webster’s dictionary defines execution as the “act of condemning one to death”. In a sense, is murder not the same thing? “An eye for an eye…”

 Many people who are against capital punishment are only thinking of the criminal and how unjust it is for them to die by execution. But, shouldn’t we think of the families that are broken apart now because of the merciless acts of these criminals? Think of Susan Smith and how she knowingly drove her car off into a lake with her two children strapped to the seats. Think of how helplessly terrified they must have felt as the water started to fill the cabin of the car, and then ultimately drown them. MURDER is exactly the word I would use to describe her actions. But yet, the jury rejected the death penalty and chose a life sentence instead. Mr. Smith, the father of the two children, broken up from the ruling said "Me and my family are disappointed that the death penalty was not the verdict, but it wasn’t our choice. They returned a verdict they thought was justice" I ask you, which is the greater injustice? Execution, or the opportunity for this to happen to someone else?

 

 

Author's Note

personally, my oppinions are varyed on the matter... but as for my thoughts concerning my acceptance of capital punishment, i recorded them above.

where do the people of Writers Cafe stand?
-with deep inquire, Nathan C.