Abolish the Death Penalty

Letter to the Editor (Bradenton Herald, 10/10/2012)

Dear Editor:

I can certainly appreciate Joanne Dick and her dismay at realizing that no-kill refers to animals and not to humans. (October 7)

Beyond her comment about loving babies more than animals I, too, love babies. But I also love everyone, including those who may have been convicted of taking another's life. Florida has given itself the power to execute those it deems the most undesirable. True, such persons are not as innocent as newborn babes, but what gives us the moral right to take another's life? The Declaration of Independence states that the creator endowed us with certain absolute rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Bible quotes the Lord as saying vengeance is His. To do God's work on earth is not to murder his subjects.

Beyond it being morally wrong to execute another, regardless of their crime, there is the distinct possibility of executing the wrong person. Just last week the Innocence Project was able to free the 300th wrongly-convicted person--save them from execution. How many people have been executed who were innocent? Many more than I wish to imagine. Should we, as a society, be grouped in with countries that do execute their people--countries such as Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and China? Or should we be grouped with the more enlightened countries of the world--countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan? I vote for the latter group.

May not only Manatee County but also Florida and every other state realize that life--any life--is to be valued and not be disposed of like an ugly old shoe. 

Dave Hilsheimer