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It isn't constructive and it's more than a bit over-the-top, but every time I read something like this I can't help but hope that every red-state hick who thinks cops should carry a twelve pack of syringes so they can administer lethal injections on the street and save the tax payers that effort of a trial ought to be incorrectly charged with a crime, convicted, and executed.

The death penalty is an amazingly bad idea, but I think we ought to give the people what they want. Let's make the death penalty optional. When the government sends out the census every ten years they should ask people whether they support the death penalty. If they do, they've just opted into the system and it will subsequently apply in capital cases that they're involved in. If they don't support it, the death penalty will be off the table. I suspect very few will opt in when it's their own neck on the line.

An don't get me started on Congress's desire to "streamline" the death penalty appeals process. It makes them look ghoulishly bloodthirsty.

Typing this up reminded me of my favorite quandary. Why is it that fundamentalist Christians, who literally worship at the feet of Jesus Christ and seem to inject him into most public debates, ignore most of his teachings? The Bible, Old Testament and New, is filled opposing teachings. In most cases this is because Christ was telling his followers that what was in their hearts mattered more than rote followings of obscure law.^* The example that best exemplifies this dichotomy to me is one having to do with the punishment for crimes. Oft-cited by the supporters of capital punishment is the Bible's request for proportional retribution. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and so on. Good ol' Leviticus (the source of so much that is wrong with fundamentalist Christians, in my opinion) even gives us "And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast" (Leviticus 24:18). The New Testament abandons the proportional response, for the caring one. Paul writes "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' No, if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:19-21). A different approach, to say the least. I believe -- and this is probably the only time I'll ever say this as I am strongly agnostic and very much non-religious (see my thinking in paragraph one above) -- that America would be a better place if we could all embrace the actual teachings of Christ, but this is especially true for those who profess to do so already.

Alright, that's enough ranting to -- hopefully -- last me a year.

^* As an example of how Christ envisioned his religion, I offer you this anecdote. Christ was once asked which commandments should be kept. "And Jesus said, 'You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother. Also, you shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matthew 19). For those keeping score at home, that's only six.

Posted by on 11 July 2005 at 6:40 PM