It's never enough. There is no equivalence. There can't be until we admit, really until we embrace, that it's about vengeance pure and simple. And until we write the last vestiges of the 8th Amendment out of the process.
I've written about this repeatedly. Here's what I say.
Either we give up state murder, acknowledge once and for all that the death penalty, no matter how cosmetically attractive we try to make it is just another killing, unnecessary, unfair, uncertain. Or we embrace the horror, admit that we torture people to death at least some of the time and acknowledge that we're just fine with it.
We can rent out Yankee Stadium (it's new and shiny) and line the bodies up. We can set lions on them. Or have them gnawed to death by rats. Pay per view. It's better than pro wrestling.
Oh, sure, as I said, there's that pesky 8th Amendment thing about how there can't be any
cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
But, hey. We're talking about bad guys here. Surely there's a way around it.
The problem is that we don't want to admit that we want blood, that we're actually killing.
So we pretend. We make it look pretty, cosmeticize it, medicalize it, sanitize it.
And then we're frustrated because . . . .
Because, dammit all murder is murder.
Finally, at last (or OHMYGOD depending on your perspective), there's this guy.
His name is Brad Drake and if you live in District 5 in Florida,
he's your State Representative. And he's got a plan. Scrap that oh-so-nice lethal injection equipment. From his press release.
Over the past few weeks there has been much discussion and debate regarding the effectiveness of certain medicines used as preferred method for execution. So, I say let's end the debate. We still have Old Sparky. And if that doesn't suit the criminal, then we will provide them a .45 caliber lead cocktail instead.
That'll teach 'em.
I am sick and tired of this sensitivity movement for criminals,” Drake said. “Every time there is a warranted execution that is about to take place, some man or woman is standing on a corner holding a sign, yelling and screaming for humane treatment. However, I have no desire to humanely respect those that are inhumane.”
Yeah, by god.
Give Drake credit. He doesn't just talk the talk. On Tuesday, he introduced HB 325 to stop this mollycoddling of the due-to-be-killed.
So good for Brad. He knows he's a killer. He's happy to admit it. Happy to say, this is who we are and what we do.
But really, if he's going to admit it, why stop with the chair and the firing squad. What about the gibbet? Ritual beheading? Drawing and quartering? Hell, why not crucifixion?
And that 8th Amendment thing? Newt thinks it's cool for the President to refuse to obey the Supreme Court and the Constitution. Surely Florida can do no less. Just ask Brad.
H/t Joe H & Turley
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