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N.J. Closes Death Row

By Alice Kim

It’s official. Before 2007 came to a close, New Jersey became the first state in the United States in 40 years to abolish the death penalty. With a stroke of a pen, Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine signed a law eliminating the state’s death sentence and replacing it with life without the possibility of parole. The measure was the culmination of… return to article

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    Page 1 of 1 pages

    Good.

    I don’t agree with the death penalty because I don’t want the community, via the law, to have the power to kill an individual. Some things should not be subject to a referendum, for the simple reason that passionately held feelings, even (especially) by “the majority”, can lead to terrible outcomes. And too many erroneous convictions have taken place for me ever to have confidence in capital punishment; you can let a guy out of a cell if he’s been put there wrongly, you can’t let him out of the grave.

    For those who really do carry out heinous crimes against innocents, I advocate that they remain behind bars. I mean, remain. Maybe they’ll reflect on their crime and come to some sort of epiphany, or maybe they won’t. Either way, he’ll be out of the neighborhood. Some useful task or other can be given to them. Or they can read books for 80 years. Something.

    For those who would appeal to my rage if a loved one were to be murdered, especially with aggravating circumstances like a rape, it may be that I couldn’t live with the terrible feelings, but those feelings should not be the basis of law. Yes, I know it’s easy to say that from in front of a keyboard and monitor. I’d either have to get over it (maybe impossible, knowing myself as I do) or go after the guy and then take my comeuppance if I went hunting and took him out. There’s where my stated values would get the real test. I can’t say I know what I’d do in that circumstance, but in any case I’m glad NJ has ended the death penalty.

    Philippines Posted by Kuya on Jan 18, 2008 at 1:33 AM

    Amen, Brother.  We as a society should join the world community in abolishing the type of ancient revenge mentality that attempts to justify capital punishment and focus all our efforts and resources, instead, on ensuring that our children are raised in an atmosphere of trust, love, and tolerance that would never allow them to kill one another for any reason.  There is no justification for killing.

    United States Posted by CarolynMerritt on Jan 23, 2008 at 10:13 AM

    CarolynMerrit, I fully agree with your position. Killing is never a solution to anything and there is plenty to be done in the way children are submitted to patterns of violence, greed and ruthless competition instead of teaching them the value of nature, love and compassion.
    Good for New Jersey.

    Costa Rica Posted by Maria on Jan 25, 2008 at 12:49 PM
    Page 1 of 1 pages

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