Right Wing Conservatives Clap for Death

For anyone watching the Republican debate on Wednesday night one thing was impossible to miss, that the largest applause of the night came from capital punishment. What was even more astonishing to me was that it wasn’t one of the candidates well thought out response to a question that cause it, it was the question? Brian Williams was asking the question of Governor Perry in which he pointed out that he had executed more prisoners (234) than any other Governor before him. Before Williams could even finish his question, the crowd erupted into applause, the loudest applause during the actual debate. 

How does this get applause?

I know where Brian Williams was going as soon as he started his question. I have read lots regarding the Cameron Todd Willingham case, and Governor Perry’s involvement in and around the investigation into whether or not he was actually guilty (laid out in detail here; http://www.texastribune.org/texas-people/rick-perry/under-perry-executions-raise-questions/). Perry ultimately denied clemency under questionable circumstances at best. Williams wanted to get him on record on whether he had any doubts regarding any of the executions and the possibility of anyone of them being, in fact, innocent. The Governor answered that he carried no doubt and then kicked up the bravado to describe what he called “ultimate justice.” That answer got applause but no where near the jubilation exhibited for the killing of 234 people.

Now, I’m not here to debate the use of capital punishment, we all have our own set beliefs regarding it. I just find it strangely hypocritical that these same people profess their undying devotion to preserve every life when abortion is brought up, but stop just short of a standing ovation when it is annouced that one of their own has killed more than any other. 

How do you true that one up?