A question of life or death - weighing in on the Death Penalty

Monday, February 21, 2022

I read a post today (I will not reveal the source) that streamed over 2,200 (so far) comments (with a few exceptions) that affirmed this title: “Killing a police officer should be a mandatory death sentence,” with a by-line “Enough is enough”, a mantra that I’ve used many times since my son was shot and killed in the line of duty in 2018.

I admit that my heart shattered into a fragments when I read these comments. They contained absolutely contained no consideration, no proactive resolutions, no consideration for the killers, the families of the murderers and nowhere to be found was a solution to any of the issues that result in these heinous crimes that we either live or read about every day, thanks to social media, which reports these incidents faster than the speed of sound. I’m beginning to understand “If it bleeds, it reads”. I don’t know who came up with this phrase but really, that’s who we’ve become as a society – vampires thirsty to read who is next on the palate of criminal death is the next best thing to whatever crosses our paths in the virtual world of celebratism. Hands up if I'm wrong. 

I responded to one post that read “Where is the evidence that shows capital punishment is an effective practice? Killing begets killing...”

And the post was correct. Has history not taught us anything at all?

I realize that my stance may not be popular. We back Law Enforcement the same way that we back Heathcare, Education, Social Services - all who deem to assist everyone who has a need, This is who we are, We stand with people, all people, because we are one of the people. 

My husband and I received a glimpse of the crushing blow of people who have lost their souls when we attended a dinner hosted to honor those who had assisted police officers who had assisted and had been themselves victims when their partner, my son died at the hands of a killer and his K-9 wounded in the line of duty, The officers who were with our son at the scene suffered physical and emotional trauma and were honored by thousands of law enforcers present at the event, one of many posthumous events. The crowd at the dinner actually moaned that the criminal had not been shot and died at the scene, which shocked both my husband and me. God bless them: I'm sure that they thought that their hearts were in the right place. Perhaps they knew what was in store for us.  We’re not sure but we knew but this mattered not. The criminal’s life meant very little if nothing to this gathered group, as it mattered not as in the comments on the post that I read throughout today. There was mo mercy, no compassion,no humanity within that moan. No dignity at all for the kiiller. I still think about that room filled with thousands of people wanting death and I admit that the thought keeps me up at night.

Has anyone else noticed that we’ve crossed the Rubicon into a world of cruelty?

This forum is not the place for me to be sharing personal experiences about the experiences that have led me and my family to a different place, a new activism and fresh insights into our own individual personas. However, I do feel a responsibility to encourage those who would be on the wrong (yes, wrong) side of the death penalty and see it with different hearts and minds. The journey to this place of forgiveness is extremely difficult. But the dignity that is due to every living person, without exception (GS27), be the “varieties of crime” “poison civilizations and they debase the perpetrators more than the victims and militate against the honor of the creator.”  (GS27)

In other words, hating those who harm us, hate us, kill us, take those whom we love from us deserve (yes, deserve) our charity, our good will and our forgiveness must be in our hearts, minds and souls.  Mind you that I did not say that the perpetrators should not serve the time due for their deeds. There will never be justice while they live and our loved ones have had their lives stolen. Do the perpetrators deserve death for the deeds? Not on in this world. We will pay the consequences in the next realm if this is our posturing. Death is the enemy; an eye for an eye is not the way through. Forgiveness, difficult as this may be is the only passage open to life, our lives. To bend in the other direction can only lead to more malice, vengeance, cruelty. I, for one, cannot live in that world.

If we really believe in God, meaning that we believe that not only does God exist but really believe in a working, breathing reality in every moment of life, than all things become possible, then hearts and minds must adhere to a different way of thinking, of believing, of existing. A change of heart for the perpetrators, for the victims left behind in this world and for the world in general becomes possible. And let’s not forget that there’s a puddle of muck that runs through every clear river. Those who will want vengeance may not ever be convinced. We do our best; God’s in charge of the rest of things.   

Does anyone really want to see this harsh alliance of forgiveness and severity continue on a daily basis? Hands up who wants to see a kinder world of humanity, even for those who cause us injury?

Open your hearts, friends. God waits for you to listen, change your hearts and believe that redemption is possible, even for those brothers and sisters whom have wounded us to the quick and changed our lives forever seem to be beyond redemption.

Death is not the answer. Only life, even when it sees impossible is the answer.