Disclaimer: I am a democrat. I’ve never voted for a republican and although I remained open to it in 2008, much to the chagrin of the rest of my left-leaning family, I haven’t yet met a republican that didn’t say something I just didn’t jive with. I’ve always been pro-choice (and if you equate abortion with the death penalty we can sit down over a jigger or two of bourbon and discuss why you are just wrong) and I think that gay people should be able to get married and you know, I’m kind of down with taking care of our poor and old folks. All of which puts me out of republican territory. So, now you know – if you didn’t before – which way I lean.
Also, I’m not a journalist. It’s not my job to be objective and report on both sides of the issues and then allow you to make your own determinations. This is my soapbox and I get to say what I want how I want in the manner I want. Although, when it came to writing this post, which is about Rick Perry, the death penalty, and innocence, I did try to find stories that would give me a better perspective on this guy. What I was trying to do is understand why people, during the Republican debate the other night, clapped when it was stated that Texas has executed 234 people under his governorship, more than any other governor in modern history.
In case you missed it, during the ‘debate’, the good Governor from Texas was asked if he lost any sleep over maybe, you know, executing someone who was maybe, you know, innocent. He said no. Absolutely not. Because the State of Texas is infallible. It couldn’t possibly kill an innocent person. Could it? (By the way, if he really does KNOW then fuck yeah vote for him. The man is GOD.)
Look, you may not have a problem with killing people. It seems that most Americans are in favor of capital punishment. I also think most American eat poorly and don’t exercise enough and, in reality, most Americans have more in common with Afghan Taliban than they’d ever care to admit. Someday I will run down a list of similarities but let’s just say the Taliban also believe in capital punishment, clap for it, and think their country should be run by a religious zealot. You sure that doesn’t sound familiar?
And, before I continue (God, a fuckload of disclaimers before I get to my point. I would apologize but I’m actually trying to make this go smoother for you all.) I want to say that if I defend people who kill people it doesn’t mean I’m okay with killing people. I know there are some folks who get easily confused by this difference but I’m hoping beyond hope that you can ferret out a difference between those two things. I think killing is bad. If you kill I’m not going to clap for you. See, that’s the difference here. Are we good? Good.
So here’s the thing. Ready for the point?
Innocent people have been executed. Over 200 of them in fact. In Texas the Death Penalty Information Center states that there may be 9 people executed in Texas who were innocent. Innocent. Do you know what that means? It means – They. Did. Not. Do. It.
Imagine you are arrested, charged, imprisoned, convicted, put on death row. And you are innocent.
Perhaps nine isn’t a big enough number for you. Perhaps 212 isn’t either. I mean, considering all the people we’ve executed, what’s a few hundred lives that have been needlessly lost? And besides, it couldn’t happen to you, or someone you loved. But think about it, every one of these people was someone’s son, mother, sister, brother, father, or cousin. Every one of them had people around them shaking their heads saying they could not believe this had happened to them. How could this happen to them.
A judge in Houston had the balls for five minutes to put a stop to the madness saying that “it can be concluded that innocent people have been executed.” And yet Rick Perry can stand there and say he has no doubts at all. I wonder how he answers to this Judge. How does he answer to those who have been exonerated before they have been killed? I understand he couldn’t rightfully say “I’m not so keen on killing innocent folks. I’m hopeful that the process works and I do worry that we are doing this right, but it’s the right thing to do.” You cannot let doubt creep in when you are talking about killing people.
But see, I was about to write that the only way the good citizens of this country would agree with the death penalty is if they were 100% certain we got it right every time so you’ve got to act like you KNOW you’ve got it 100% right all the time. And then I stopped because that isn’t true. The citizens of this country are okay with killing people that might be innocent because if we weren’t we would stop executions and no one would clap at someone’s death.
I’m asking you, dear reader, if you are a supporter of the death penalty to explain to me in clear, unemotional and logical terms how you have come to the conclusion that it is okay to continue to execute people knowing that we have killed innocent people. This isn’t a matter of opinion, but a true statement of fact. I’m waiting with bated breath.
I am not a supporter of the death penalty because, as you state, it is not 100%. But even if it was 100%, I still don’t think I would support it.
People support the death penalty for the same reasons people screamed for Casey Anthony’s head: because SOMEONE HAS TO PAY. We (the death-penalty supporting society) don’t care whom, as long as there is retribution for that innocent baby’s/teenager’s/woman’s lost life. We totally lose out shit over when the victim is a child or woman.
That’s why I don’t think I could support capital punishment, even if we are 100% certain of guilt. The Death Penalty does not deter capital criminals; it does not bring back the dead; it does not, as much as some may argue otherwise, comfort families of victims (getting “closure” by killing the perpetrator of your pain is ridiculous. Closure if you can get it, comes from getting answers). The sole purpose of the DP is to make us feel better that the murderer “got what s/he deserved.”
I’m just not ok with that.
I’m no fan of the death penalty, either. Nothing about it works- innocent people die, it does not deter bad people from doing bad things, and it costs taxpayers insane amounts of money to execute (bad pun, I know). Who wants to be a member of a society that feels entitled to kill people in the name of justice? I think being locked in a cage for the remainder of your life is far more hellish than the release that death offers.
Since I don’t support the death penalty and in fact agree with all your bazillion disclaimers, I shall just use this opportunity to shamelessly let you know that I love you.
Ugh. Being so disillusioned all the time is exhausting. :/
You’re right. You can’t compare abortion to the death penalty….the innocent children have no rights, unlike those on death row for twenty years costing the tax payer thousands of dollars….I just love it when liberals defend inmates but not unborn children that are murdered everyday in our neighborhoods. At least death row inmates get a chance to defend themselves in a court of law. I’m Pro-life and not a pro death penalty supporter, so at least I’m consistent. ALL LIFE is precious.
I have been watching the Connecticut case because they are doing 2 death penalty cases for the first time in years. At least (- and I know I wasn’t on the jury and didn’t hear all the testimony,) those guys are guilty.
At least, right? I think these cases are the ones that truly test one’s opposition to the death penalty.
Before giving any punishment we must think about the crime and the scenario in which crime took place. If some one doing any thing intentionally he must be punished.
I’m in favor of the death penalty – as long as it is applied only to corrupt politicians, judges, prosecutors and cops. Any chance that will happen? You think?
You are trying to have it both ways. None of those people were innocent. None. See here your own blog entry: “facts-are-not-facts-until-the-jury-says-they-are-facts-got-it”
No. I am not trying to have it both ways. Facts are not facts until the jury says so – or until the jury is proven wrong because they decided THEIR facts on faulty or insufficient information. Faulty premise, faulty conclusions. There were 9 people executed who were innocent, not just not guilty. Innocent. If your statement is that there are no innocent people falsely accused, falsely convicted, and falsely executed well, you are wrong.
I’m saying that our legal system is a shitshow, and that I have no doubt that people have been falsely imprisoned and executed. I also believe that guilty people go free and continue to do horrible things to innocent people all the time. It is on the second point that you are willfully denying reality.