I don't raise extremely controversial issues very often here at Lincolnite, but since I've been so quiet these past couple days, I figure: what the heck? The proposed repeal of the death penalty has been shut down by one vote. Did lawmakers get it right? Or is it time for Nebraska to ditch the death penalty?
I was a long-time death penalty supporter until just a couple years ago. Today I reject the notion that the state has the right to punitively take a person's life. For me, my opposition to the death penalty goes beyond the sentence's socioeconomic and race biases; its arbitrary application; or its application over the years to the innocent. I'm not swayed by the claim that the death penalty "protects" society from predators, because I already feel sufficiently protected when those people are put behind bars. Nor am I convinced that the death penalty has a deterrent effect; I have studied claims from both sides of the debate (there are some doozies out there), and the data do not support the deterrent hypothesis.
Ultimately, though, I just don't trust the state to get it right. When you get right down to it, the representatives of the state are our neighbors. There are a lot of things I am willing to trust my neighbors with. The authority to kill people is not one of those things.
I think I understand pretty well most of the pro-death penalty arguments. I'm even sympathetic to a few of them. I just no longer agree that those arguments hold sufficient weight to give the state the authority to kill its residents.
Comments
See what your friends and neighbors have to say about this.
got to listen to both days of debate. The graphic stories got old quick.
Nice to see it brought to the floor and the close vote assures it will come up again next session.
It’s a hopeful sign that it got as close as it did. Ditch the death penalty, the world has changed since the dark ages.
I applaud Nebraska’s King Cobra (Ernie Chambers) for bringing this issue up.
I agree, it’s time to abolish the death penalty and my reasoning is similar to Mr. Wilson’s: I don’t trust the state to carry out such a responsibility on my behalf, nor do I want them to do so. The older I get, the less I trust my government to act on my behalf.
I’m pro death penalty. I wouldn’t be upset if it was abolished but I’d like to stay.
Keep it. It’s punishment that fits the crime.
I feel a lot like DMB - I am all for the death penalty, but I wouldn’t cry if it went away or changed to lethal injection. It’s mind boggling (but true) that it would be cheaper for us to keep these guys in for life with no parole.
I think for the death penalty to be a deterrant it should be enacted more quickly. I am all for the rights to trials and appeals, but I think there should be a 5 year window. If you can’t work your way thru the appeals process and courts in 5 years, I am sorry, but Sparky is ready and waiting. Is that harsh? Maybe—but I don’t think the thought of death row scares the hard-core criminal when he knows he’ll sit there for 20 years any way.
I wonder if a five-year window is long enough if you’ve been wrongly convicted.
I know if I was put on death row for something I didn’t do, I’d sure as heck want to exhaust every possible appeal to turn the conviction over.
I think it could be long enough. I haven’t studied it in great detail or anything, but it seems that it’s very much a hurry up and wait process. Lawyers have a window of time, then wait until the last possible minute and start a flurry of activity, with the goal being to get the thing delayed, delayed, delayed.
Share your thoughts with the community.
Commenting is no longer permitted on this post.