Everyone else is talking about it, we may as well...

-- Paulineee (paulineee_@hotmail.com), June 09, 2001

Answers

I couldn't have said it better myself, Pauline. We're perfectly aligned on this topic.

-- Rick Pali (rpali@alienshore.com), June 09, 2001.

Pailine

All I can say is that once again America is about to amuse itself to death. Actualy I had more than that to say and so have sent it e- mail. Check the mail box... =a=

-- Alvin Valles (alice23@earthlink.net), June 09, 2001.

Enlightenment comes in many forms and at the oddest times. I too disagree with the death penalty. Yes I would carry out my own form of justice but like you said, only if I was given the opportunity. Which is not likely to happen. So I will continue to let the powers that be do what must be done. However that power is in a way is a reflection of us as a society. And that is not a reflection to be proud of.

Back in 1968 I was informed that I was to report for a killing session in a county that I was unfamiliar with, where I would kill people that I didn't know and that I would do it for God and country. I said no, and subsequently had my freedom interrupted in the name of justice. In the end I did not go, I did not kill and at the age of 18 I knew then and there that I would never take another life for any reason other than personal survival and that was how I WAS GOING live my life. To this day I have kept that truth to heart.

Twenty years later while fishing in No. California I pulled a decent size trout from the lake and in that very instant holding that terrified fish, I flashed back to the time that I had my freedom yanked from underneath me. I also realized in the middle of that millisecond of a flashback, that life is the most precious resource that we will ever come into contact with, be it man, plant and/ or animal. And once we take that step to separate the life source from it's vehicle then we have crossed the path of least resistance as human beings.

The death penalty is that path. He will die, a majority of the viewing public will view it as just another TV program designed to entertain us, and once that is over we'll see what else is on, perhaps Drew Carey, maybe a go over and see what's on the ESPN and in the end we will amuse ourselves to death.

I too will not give the county the benefit of my person as an audience. I'm taking my ball and I'm going home…. And that's how I feel about the whole damn thing.

-- Alvin Valles (alice23@earthlink.net), June 11, 2001.

I'm starting to find some thoughtful entries on the subject in other journals:

And If I Die...

Water Lilly Alley

In Medias Res

Please add your own to the list!

-- Pauline (p_brock@hotmail.com), June 11, 2001.

Hi Paulineee,

Just wanted to thank you for your entry and for including a link to mine on this forum. I find it heartening that so many people have strong emotions about this. Indifference would be a far scarier thing all together.

-- Bob (and_if_I_die@hotmail.com), June 11, 2001.

My words in my diary tonight were few and not very encouraging, rather than try to rehash what I said, in brief, in my notify list. "Somewhere in the Bible I think there are words to the effect that, "The poor we will have with us always." I think if we could solve the problems of slavery, cruelty and murder there would be a possibility of alleviating the poverty and the helping of people to help themselves.

Tonight there is a short verse in the bible which describes my feelings, "Jesus wept."

Diary entry is at: http://bastion.diaryland.com/530.html

-- Denver doug (ionoi@webtv.net), June 12, 2001.

This is the first time I've been to your site, PaulinEEE, but I enjoyed reading your take on the death penalty issue. Although you approached it a bit differently than I did in writing about it, and you bring up some aspects that I hadn't even considered before, I generally agree with you.

Here's what I wrote.

-- Aaron L. (aaron@hollowstreets.net), June 13, 2001.

Thanks Aaron. Seems like we're on the same page. Welcome to my corner of the 'net!

-- Pauline (p_brock@hotmail.com), June 15, 2001.

As an American i believe in the death penalty; esp. for those that terrorize our country. These 'Americans' have shown no loyalty to America and should be punished. As a loved one i believe in the death penalty because a stranger took someone i love very much. My response may be a human emotional one, but as a Christian, i believe in the death penalty because the Bible says that when people act as animals they should be treated like animals.

-- amy rutland (pinkpantherm@yahoo.com), February 05, 2002.