I am a hypocrite-

[digonswine]

I am against the death penalty-
I,like many, am opposed to the death penalty because of the very likely possibility that the innocent will die. I also do not like the idea that the state government-me-can decide that someone must die--
BUT-I don't feel anything about the death of Lawrence Brewer-killer of James Byrd. He may have had a rough time-I don't know. I am aware of what makes people do terrible things to others. I am aware of what turns people into monsters. I have worked for 14 years with young people that have been mistreated and abused in ways that are unimaginable, turning some of them into broken people with no conscience. I would most likely be the same as them in the same situation.
There was no uproar when others were put to death, so I know I am not alone in this feeling.
Talk of fiscal concerns are offensive-for certain.
I like the idea of the sanctity of life-but I don't really believe it. I think that, even though they have been dealt a poor hand, some people are just plain bad for others and nothing will change that. The idea that (some)people, down deep, WANT to do the right thing, is just wrong.
So...I want to boil this down to a question or two.

How do you feel about the death penalty? AND--how do you really feel about certain people no longer being alive?

Again--I am against the DP 100% Please read the whole OP.

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1. We all are...nt

[digonswine]

2. It is hard to reconcile-

It makes me wish I was a GOPer-black and white thoughts, instead of all the gray.

[Skip Intro]

5. Seriously my friend, I hope you have far more worthy labels for which to strive...nt

[patrice]

3. To me its more of a question of being so averse to something that I refuse to be like it or imitate

its actions in even the slightest most indirect degree.

It's also about being in command of who and what I am and not being forced to react in a manner I don't identify as mine.

What I am about is the living truth, life, and I do all that is in my power to try proactively defend that from the culture of death, so it is a defeat to give the murderer victory by executing him/her.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. I abhor the DP.

It's just an act of revenge as far as I'm concerned...

Revenge is a very normal reaction when heinous things are done to people you care about, but that doesn't mean we have to give into it...

Once someone is dead, it's over. I no longer feel anything, and it's time to move on. That does NOT mean that I've forgotten the lessons that come with killing someone. We need to get rid of the death penalty.

I don't think you're a hypocrite either, BTW...

[loyalsister]

6. I sympathize with you

I am also opposed to the DP because of it's systemic flaws. The disparity in legal representation and the clear racial bias that is present.
I do not mourn Ted Bundy or James Byrd. But, I am still not comfortable with how that circumstance came about.