Having known a number of people headed for the death penalty I've come to some conclusions.

First, get past the hate. That's too easy, simple and misguided. And second, I am not going to excuse any of them. They are responsible for what they did.

They are a pathetic bunch, people who have been screwed over by those they should have been able to trust since conception. Through no fault of their own they are warped, distorted people in ways you and I can't imagine. It is a shame to kill them to teach them not to kill. Or others not to kill. It's barbaric, as a matter of fact.

And there is an exception. Those who are likely to commit henious crimes again must be put to death. "Life without parole" is kinda iffy, to my way of thinking. Serial killers, serial sex offenders, that sort of thing, have a very high recidivism rate and they have to go. Can't take a chance on someone else and their family suffering as the result of their actions.

The rest of them should be warehoused until they die. Not only does the death penalty kill them, it does violence to the society which practices it. It's just a glorified lynching, with the trappings of legality. It does not promote closure, does not bring anyone back to life.

Arf