The whole idea behind Capital Punishment can be very perplexing. For most people, the main justification is rationalized on the grounds that society has an obligation to protect the safety and welfare of its citizens. Killers are a threat to society and putting them to death ensures that they won’t kill again. This is not a moral obligation but simply a physical response to a perceived threat. It’s pretty mindless and a product of malice and incivility. Very little or no thought at all is given to the concept of societal evolution. Is it right for a civilized society to murder those who have committed Capital crimes?
Of course, a Capital crime is more than just murder. Over the years, Capital crimes have included rape, kidnapping, treason, lynching, and even train-wrecking. In 18th century England, during the period of the “Bloody Code”, there were more than 200 different Capital offenses. Ostensibly, these crimes and their Capital punishments were supposed to ensure the safety of all the citizens in the British Realm, however, most of the offenses introduced during that period were far more concerned with the defense of property. This hardly affected the average citizens since they owned so little. These Capital offences were simply a form of class dominance by the wealthy who owned all the property. Clearly, the laws promulgated to protect the safety and welfare of all citizens can be engineered discriminately to serve the narrow-minded needs of a few.
What about the age of a Capital offender? Surely most people would not want to execute a 6-year-old child who picked up a loaded gun lying around the house, brought it to school and killed a teacher for whatever reason. But what does the law say? The Age of Culpability for Capital Offences in the US ranges from 7 to 18 years of age, with more than 50% of the States opting to maintain 7 years of age as their standard. Children 7 years or older are culpable for Capital offenses! If stealing a loaf of bread were still a Capital offence as it once was in England, then the people that build electric chairs would have to add boosters! But of course, we don’t do anything like that anymore….
Many individuals like to refer to the Bible as their guide of righteous behavior. This might make a bit more sense if they really understood what the Bible was all about. People with vengeful mindsets like to find some sanctimonious justification for their attitudes. A literal reading of the Bible so often serves as their crutch. Perhaps they should learn the Hebrew or Aramaic languages to make certain that what they read is actually what was originally written. Many refer to the phrase, “an eye for an eye” from Leviticus as a justification for supporting the death penalty. That passage in Leviticus does not refer to vengeful retribution, but rather to the limits of retribution – no more than an eye for an eye – the punishment must be based on civilized law not on vindictiveness!
A House Bill that could sentence a woman to death for having an abortion is being proposed by South Carolina state Rep. Rob Harris, (a freshman Republican member belonging to the conservative Freedom Caucus). Freedom Caucus? Sentence women who have an abortion to be punished as a murderer, (up to 30 years in prison or even the death penalty)? Freedom to act like an Avenging Angel created by God. Really? This House Bill is the mindless projection of prejudicial power. It bears no hallmarks of any understanding of current social pressures or considerations of gender stress. Will a 12-year-old pregnant girl who was star-struck and infatuated with her lover be forced to compromise her whole life by having the baby at that age, or should she risk a murder conviction with an abortion? It’s a stupid question but it’s fully in line with the righteous insanity of this Bill.
Annually, about 8 million infants (6% worldwide) are born with serious birth defects. The causes of more than half these birth defects are unknown. How can abortion be made a Capital offence?
If any of the people supporting this Bill are truly God-fearing, the must look themselves in the mirror.
Poor Richard
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