Capital
PunishmentCapital
PunishmentI once read a charming statement about Heaven and Hell from one of the church fathers of some denomination or other: "Because God is a just God, I believe that there is a Hell. And because God is a merciful God, I believe that Hell is empty."
Well, I think that sums up my feelings about capital punishment in the USA. Because we are a just society, I think we should have laws permitting capital punishment. And because we are a merciful society, I think that no one should ever be convicted under those laws.
Of course, one cannot be an absolutist. While I would prefer to be part of a society that does not administer capital punshment, in the case of a Timothy McVeigh or some other outrageous mass murderer, I will not stand in the way .
I've been challenged on this opinion by people who say, "How would you feel if someone in your family were murdered?" Well, if that were to happen, I would be in such an emotional state of rage and grief, that I know I would not be able to think rationally. And the justice system, which (in theory) is based on rational thought, would be quite correct in ignoring my emotional and irrational blatherings.
-Don Sakers (2/7/98)
Opinions presented here may or may not be the personal opinions of anyone in particular. It's possible that none of us at Meerkat Meade agree with a particular opinion. They may be posted just to make you think.
We realize that many of you may wish to contact us in order to tell us how wrong we are, to "explain" your own opinions loudly and fiercely until we see the light, to quote various religious documents (or the inspired word of your gods or goddesses) at us, or to inform us that you will pray for us to avoid the eternal damnation that is so obviously our fate. If this is the case, then in the words of Miss Manners, "How nice for you." However, please don't waste our time with any of the above nonsense. If you wish to disagree, set up your own website and link to this one, or print your editorials/articles/tracts and give our URL. Refute us all you want, at whatever length you want, in your own publications...just don't make us read it.
(PS: We have it on excellent authority, right from the lips of Satan himself, that we are even less welcome in Hell than in The Other Place. We are currently negotiating with the Norse god Loki for quarters in the afterlife.)
