The Death Penalty

 THE DEATH PENALTY

The death penalty may just be the most widely controversial subject in the U.S.  Many people are opposed to the concept of the death penalty. Some people think it is an unjust killing sponsored by the government. But do we really need these people in our society? I believe the death penalty is an adequate punishment to violators of laws made to protect American citizens from killers and criminals which violated the laws that give the death sentence as a punishment.

        The way that death penalty executions are taken out varies by state. Almost all states offer lethal injection as a method. Nebraska is unique because they only use electrocution via the electric chair. Many states offer the death penalty however 12 states do not. The ways death penalty is carried out is by gas chamber, electric chair, lethal injection, hanging and firing squad. The majority of convicts who receive the death penalty are murderers. To receive the death penalty is kidnapping of the president, or attempted assassination of the president. (Methods of execution & Death Penalty Information Center)

      Personally, I think that the death penalty suits all murderers. However some may say it is a violation of the 8th amendment which states that cruel and unusual punishment is unlawful. It is said that the government is killing people and many do not support these things. Many also are upset with the costs of the death penalty. It costs taxpayers millions of dollars a year at times. For this reason many are opposed to the death sentence. Jay Leno even has noticed the death penalty and mentioned it on his late night show “According to the L.A. Times, Attorney General John Ashcroft wants to take “a harder stance” on the death penalty. What’s a harder stance on the death penalty? We’re already killing the guy! How do you take a harder stance on the death penalty? What, are you going to tickle him first? Give him itching powder? Put a thumbtack in the electric chair?” Jay Leno jokes on the Tonight Show. (Death Penalty Information Center & Death Penalty Quotes)

          The death penalty went through a 4 year cancellation between 1972 and 1976. Since then over 1,000 people have been executed in America.(Death Penalty Info) Instead of all the money being spent on the death sentence we can instead give them life without the possibility of parole sentences. This is the best alternative instead of killing people on a regular basis. Many people have been exonerated from death row since the cancellation in 1976. They could have been killed, innocent people, being killed in America, by our government! When surveyed however, the majority of people did, in fact support the death penalty. These supporters outnumbered the opposed citizens by more than 2-1. Many people are strongly opposed to the government for their own personal reasons or for the reasons others have given. “It’s just really tragic after all the horrors of the last 1,000 years we can’t leave behind something as tragic as government sponsored execution.” States Russ Feingold (Death Penalty Quotes) while speaking out against the death penalty. But he states it is primitive. Is it really that primitive if we are using humane ways to kill the convicts so that they are not in pain, suffering and torture for the last few moments of their lives? These people have taken lives that other people have loved and known but now they are gone forever because of these cold people. Many people will say they deserve to suffer and they hope they have a great deal of pain. But I personally think the concept of ending the individual’s life is quite enough.