I didn't watch last night's GOP debate, but I have heard selected lowlights. One of the most mind-boggling moments was the sustained applause and whooping when Perry discussed his record of executions. Even if you're not against the death penalty, is it really something to applaud? Hell, have some dignity, you ghouls- taking a human life, even if you feel it's justified, should be a gut-wrenching decision, should cause the executive (even more than the executioner) to lose sleep. This is especially true in the case of Cameron Todd Willingham who was convicted of killing his daughters and setting fire to his house- after he was executed, experts have determined that the fire was likely accidental. I'm opposed to the death penalty because a wrongfully executed person can't be unkilled. Even if I could intellectually justify the death penalty, I sure as hell wouldn't be gleeful at the prospect of even a heinous criminal being killed.
Perry's predecessor, infamously, was reported to have mocked a woman he sent to the death chamber. Perry seems to share that bloodlust, along with his constituents- one primary voter is reported as having said "It takes balls to execute an innocent man." I can't speak for Texans, but that sure isn't the New York definition of "balls" by a long shot.
It just hit me, the right-wingers think that pro-choice voters feel about abortion the same way they feel about executions. Uh, wingnut bastard, just because you love the death penalty doesn't mean that even the staunchest abortion-rights activist thinks that choosing an abortion is anything other than a gut-wrenching dilemma.
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Not to mention the incredible hypocrisy of the blood-lusters, most of whom (exception for some Catholics) are anti-abortion loonies.
Or the hypocrisy of being anti-abortion and anti-birth control. No wait, that's the anti-sex crowd.
Or the hypocrisy of ... [stopped in the interest of band-width]
I wonder about the death penalty for war criminals.
I wonder about the death penalty for war criminals.
As has been said, hangin's too good for 'em. Let 'em rot in prison.
That said, I think the execution (that's what it was, after all) of OBL was probably the correct call. He'd have remained a symbol for the nutballs in prison.
So case-by-case I guess, but you won't hear me cheering, either.
I used to be for the death penalty...but at no point would I have CHEERED for it. That just seems ghoulish to me.
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