Executions in the United States

I recently read an article in our local paper by Greg Bliestein, Associated Press, and the story was titled 'A Writer's Perspective to an Execution'. Basically, he described the process of waiting for hours, while the courts considered a stay of execution, for the second time, for a convicted murderer who killed two people over a $400 tab, and how the execution affected him personally, as well as, questions about the process before the actual execution.

After reading this story myself, I came to some very new conclusions The biggest question about executions has been, "Are they unconstitutionally cruel?" The physical process has been voted, in the higher courts to be humane, but maybe the occurrences surrounding it are cruel. Families of victims are given the right to be present when the accused is executed. But how does this really make a person feel? Technically, the doctors and state representatives that have participated in the decision or actual executions are, in kind, becoming murderers themselves. When this person murdered those people, he let them know, by his actions and possibly even words that they were going to die and couldn't do anything about it. Some people are kidnapped and tortured for long periods of time before being murdered and are very aware that they will probably be killed. The accused is told for years that he going to be put to death in a very orderly and supposedly unemotional way. He lives with that truth in his head for years before it's actually carried out and knows that nobody will stop it. People will watch him die, with only the victim's family showing any emotion and maybe some of his family. This is when I start to wonder about two things. The first idea is if this process of lethal injection is supposed to be humane, then why do the authorities allow spectators? This is the cruelest thing to both victim's families and the convicted. I don't think the accused should know that there are witnesses watching him. It gives him the ability to justify that a wrong is being committed to him, so he can now feel martyred. Although, the victim's loved ones usually say that they want him to know that they are there, they don't realize that they may be giving him the satisfaction to think they're no better than him. And, seeing someone killed in front of them has got to have a negative impact on them. Just look at the post traumatic stress and other mental disorders that our soldiers go through the rest of their lives.

So, the victim's families are unconsciously, imposing a punishment for life on themselves and the murderer becomes a martyr in his own eyes, as well as, people that oppose the death sentence. This brings me to my other question. "If the authorities want the death penalty to be done humanely, then, shouldn't they work to shorten the time that it takes to proceed with the execution drastically? They should be euthanized like we do with dogs that have Rabies. Cleanse our society of dangerous human animals, so they can't hurt anybody else again, neither mentally or physically. Anybody who murders someone just because they can is obviously wrong in the head, whether they plan it or just snap. We don't allow rabid dogs to be housed for years and then euthanize them, so why do we do that with convicted murderers?

God says to forgive and have mercy for all sinners. Unfortunately, we're not all-knowing and Christ-like and it is difficult to dampen normal human emotions towards child molesters, rapists, and murderers. But if we are to achieve a semblance of forgiveness and mercy, then we must change the way we process and punish these individuals. He also states in the Bible that we are to have laws for man and people elected to carry out those laws and punishments. So, the question is, can you forgive and hope these people asked for God's forgiveness before they are put to death by the laws of man, and should people not instituting the law be a party to this punishment? Lethal injection, the long court process, and the right of victim's families to view the executions are not humane for the innocent victim's families or the accused. These things, combined, are just like public hangings, firing squads, and other past ways of executions in the U.S.

Of course, another past question has been whether the courts were wrong and some of these people are innocent? First of all, we now have a scientific way of finding out if someone is guilty or not, which is the DNA test that has been used in the last several years. Everyone now has the right to request it. Also, we have people who admit to their crimes without any stress put on them to confess. The laws that we have instituted in the United States to protect both victims and the accused, more often than not, end up freeing the guilty and condemning the innocent to fear and sorrow, due to the misuse of a law or not using it correctly. Red-tape, it makes everyone suffer. The clear-cut cases should not be polluted by a million ifs and buts. Instead, the cases that are not so clear-cut should be given the extra time and consideration of the courts. God has given us the ability to find new technological ways to combat ever increasing doubts and concerns. So, maybe we should go by my favorite saying, 'God gave you a brain, use it!'