By
Laura Winsky
Let's make a deal. I've got an idea for a sale that comes with many special features - abolition.
You heard right, I'm selling abolition of the death penalty today for a very special price. Let me tell you why you should take advantage of this fantastic offer.
First, abolition of the death penalty is an excellent idea. Allow me to explain. Without abolition, we all pretend that the death penalty deters crime. We pretend that individuals who are perhaps mentally ill, mentally disabled or hopped up on crack may pause during their crime and think to themselves, "Wait! It's possible that 30 years from now, after several appeals, I might be executed for the crime I am about to commit. Should I rethink this armed robbery before I behave impulsively?"
How ludicrous. The death penalty is the "emperor's new cloth" because we pretend that it deters crime so we have an excuse to not spend our time and money on the overhaul that our judicial and prison systems so desperately need.
There's more! Buying into abolition is popular right now. More than 3 million people internationally sent a petition to the United Nations secretary general, Kofi Annan, asking for an abolition.
He agreed by saying, "Can the state, which has the duty of protecting society, fulfill that duty by lowering itself to the level of murderer?"
Still not sure? Authors of "Who Owns Death?," Robert Lifton and Greg Mitchell, agree that you should consider abolition. "Since the justice system can never be 100 percent right, it must not be allowed to administer a punishment that's 100 percent irreversible."
I understand. Perhaps you're not still ready for abolition just yet. I can sympathize with the emotions that go along with heinous crimes. There is an all-too-human feeling that makes us want the accused to suffer for the terrible things they have been convicted for.
But don't go away just yet. I can sweeten the deal.
Maybe abolition was too much of a commitment for you? I can offer another plan. And it's catching on fast, so take me up on this offer while you still can.
Moratorium. That's right, we've got a moratorium out there that can fit your needs. Let me tell you about it. The problem with the death penalty is that innocent people can be executed due to human and judicial error, and on occasion, malicious intent on the part of key players in the system. By 1997, a national organization that records the outcomes of closed cases had recorded over 200 cases where the innocence of an individual was proven after they had been executed. Now, the revelations of DNA testing have begun to prove innocence up and down death row.
The Associated Press writes about a man named Earl Washington who was released just nine days before execution because his innocence was proven after 17 years in prison. "Washington is among 95 people on death row who have been exonerated, 10 of those through DNA evidence."
Moratorium, or the idea of putting a temporary hold on executions for further DNA research, is the right buy for you because there is too much uncertainty right now within the system. Governor George Ryan of Illinois would tell you the same. Though a past supporter of the death penalty, he felt uncomfortable with the idea of innocent people being executed, and Illinois now has a moratorium.
Now is the time for you to take me up on my offer. Let your elected officials know that you send your sympathy to the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing, but executing McVeigh - exactly as he wishes - is not the package you're willing to buy.
