The Issues, No. 37 - Execution

Today I'm going to make a foray into the world of our criminal justice system and I want to begin with the death penalty and specifically execution of criminals sentenced to death. There has been a whole lot of controversy in the last few years about executions, particularly lethal injections, and how they might be painful for the person being executed and therefore inhumane. My response to that is who cares how painful it is and why not make it as painful as possible?

For some nut case criminal who has murdered, raped, tortured, or otherwise maimed someone else and been convicted beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law by a jury of his/her peers, I am very happy if they have to suffer a little pain when they are being executed. What I really don't like is the fact that they have lived in a prison, probably for a few years after their conviction, and been given three square meals a day; free medical care; been able to play basketball and work out in a fully equipped gym; been able to watch TV, play pool, and have visits from their friends and relatives; and get a law degree and maybe even write a book while their lawyers are trying to get their sentence reduced.

So when the time for execution comes, I hope it hurts. I hope that animal feels something similar to what their victim(s) felt. And I hope there is a little extra pain there for the victim's family and maybe even some for the American taxpayers who have been supporting this jerk in prison. I really don't care about humane for these people and I don't understand anyone who does.