In 1981, Ricky Ray Rector asked the prison guards not to remove the dishes from his last supper, because he would want his dessert when he returned. Not comprehending the full extent of his punishment, Ricky was executed by lethal injection. Would you execute a convict who cannot establish the difference between reality and fantasy? We all want to be treated equally—despite our unique essence—so we migrate to a land that provokes monotonous justice. We leave behind “an eye for an eye” judicial system, only to find exceptions made toward minorities when it comes to the same crimes. Due to the discrepancies between written laws and its actions; and an opinionated declaration of the afterlife; capital punishment should be illegal in United States.
It should be unacceptable that while the law states otherwise, its actions are carried out differently. The Eighth Amendment states that cruel and unusual punishments should not be inflicted. Its definition is clear, but its connotation allows each state to define its own level of “cruelty”. No burning, no stoning, no gas, no minor, no retarded, why are criminals classified for the same crime committed? Capital punishment is in fact killing an individual—regardless of their malicious deeds. Is it not hypocrisy to possess a method that is: you murder him; therefore we are going to murder you? Some crimes committed are so inhumane that our first emotion is rage and disgust that this monster is still allowed to live. “The death penalty, in other words, is predicated on the idea that the primary goal of justice is revenge. But revenge is not law; it is derived from emotion rather than principle, and justice is by definition a principle blind to emotion” (Manville). The fear that a convict will commit the same crime again once out on parole (which was proved in some cases) is the main reason why capital punishment still has voters. The solution is: no parole. If one is sentenced for life, life is neither 10 years nor is it 20 years, life is until one dies. Life without parole, education, or special treatments is the answer not only in making sure that the wrong individual convicted is not mistakenly murdered, but also the criminal is not released to harm again.
The concept that a criminal should be killed to suffer is based on an opinionated belief that life after death would in fact offer them the punishment they rightly deserve.
If one of the purposes of punishment is to punish wrongdoing individuals, where is the punishment in permanently removing them? Sure they won’t be slaughtering again, but where is the justice in that? Not every American believes in the afterlife, and if America’s first amendment is freedom of religion, why is only one belief being practice? No qualms that certain people deserved to be permanently removed—but it is not up to them to play ‘God’. Life is not theirs to give nor is it theirs to take—because that’s exactly what criminals are doing. Capital punishment supporters say it’s for the best, by killing one, they’ll be saving five, that ‘the end justifies the means’. If this is the case than half of its population should be either locked up or killed, no exceptions!
A country that states and carries and bases some of its laws on opinions rather than facts need to revise its governmental structure. Crimes should neither be excusable nor go unpunished. If the same crime is committed, then the punishment needs to be the same throughout each state. Capital punishment is ineffective because life after death is unknown and criminals are not afraid of dying, otherwise the rates would decrease. Crimes will always surround us since it has been doing so before Christ. The money used for death row criminals needs to be spent educating prospects criminals about moral conduct. Convicts’ sentences for life need to mentally and socially suffer for ‘life’ living with the knowledge that they took another life—now that’s punishment. Nothing sinks better into the depth of darkness in our mind than guilt and regret.
Past V. Present Love
I am completely and utterly shocked at the absolute disregard and shameful behavior of today’s society. When a word such as love, is taken for granted; used for mere amusement and simple satisfaction. A woman’s body is seen as a piece of meat to certain men, (not all men). They see it as a competition, to see how fast it will take for one to get in someone’s pants, by any means. They will do the time and make the effort to serenade and pamper the women they choose, until they get what they want. Then out of nowhere they just pick up and leave. No reason and no need other than that of their own. I look back and see the way a woman used to be treated, when love was more than just a game. The word ‘I love you’ was spoken with such profound meaning; its value momentous and tendering. Today’s society scares me for some will never know the meaning and experience the definition of what it means to completely Love one someone can do one’s life.
Submitted by KaramelKandi
I’m ranting (and praising) in response to Karamelkandie’s earlier rant. As a guy, you have no idea the way we are treated like meat by females. Guys need to look like Matt Damon, and have the income of Bill Gates, or a girl won’t even give us the time of day. Girls will also flirt with us when they are married or in a serious relationship, because they they are always testing the waters for new opportunities. How many of these women go home at night and say “I Love You” to their man, and then start texting or emailing their new prospective beau the following day? For every man out there that is a pig, there is a willing woman on the receiving end of the scandal. She is just as likely to be the “aggressor” in the relationship as the man. I have a 17 year old son. He is also disturbed, like you are, by the lack of sincerity and morals in relationships. He is a good kid, but I think he has a lot of suffering ahead if he is looking for a girl with “high moral standing.” He is chasing unicorns. How much better it would be, if men and women both would just forgive each other for their weaknesses, and focus instead on the love that brought them together in the first place.
Submitted by jpd
We’re missing something call trust. When you trust someone without a doubt, they can treat you like shit behind your back, no matter how many times your friends tell you his cheating or doing that, if you have trust you move on. Relationships are crazy, rather its love, sisterly, or friendship they’re all a mess. I agree with jpd on working toward your relationship instead of focusing on the bad. There are some people who are faithful, myself included to my husband. Do I think his cheating on me or messing around my back? Nope, without a doubt I trust him. I trust him, regardless of what people say until the day I catches him with my own eyes, until then I’m not sure what I would do in that situation. Maybe I’ll forgive him, depending on what he did, or maybe not. All I know is that without a doubt I trust him, and without absolute trust in a relationship, there’s no point in having one. This goes both ways for men and women, once you have so many guys or girls treat you like shit, you start being caution and start doubting everyone else. I think we all should take a chance on relationship, and jump in with our eyes open thought. You’re supposed to give your complete trust till it’s broken otherwise your cheating both you and your partner out of something special. It’s not easy, because it’s human nature to assume the worst in a situation especially if you been burn so many times; but one thing to remember is that regardless of the outcome of your relationships, they teaches you something about yourself. They teach you about your expectations, your desires, your dreams, and what you’re looking for in a partner in the future.
Submitted by Sugar
You are both right, it is a shame that some will never know what true love is, when you
Love someone you must have complete trust. Trust and love go hand in hand. You cannot proclaim true love or that you love someone without trust and have it mean something more than simple satisfaction. JPD for your son, I truly do hope his experience teaches him, and that you teach him not to take the simple things for granted. That a gesture or a kind word goes along way. That to live is to enjoy your surrounding and enjoy the time we do have on this earth. As a man of such great understanding, I would hope that you can teach him your understanding to open his heart and mind. For myself I have encountered many disappointments in life when it comes to men, I have been though my share of ups and downs, my rant is to show that just one word in society can change a global outlook. Yes some men do fall along with the woman taken for granted. Not every woman such as my self look for a Matt Damon or a man with a bill gates pocket. Is it wrong for me to generalize and say that women are generally the one used and abused? But as a woman, I can only write what my views are. If I could I would give anything to see in the eyes of a man, to feel what he feels, to see what he sees and experience what there experiences. I cannot speak for all men or all women. I can see my views, and the one you and sugar has presented. I put that rant up to get just that. Another side than what I’ve seen. I guess the point I was trying to make was that the word itself has somehow lost its foundation, trust sometimes loses its meaning, love has stretched, tossed, twisted and turned into more, and loses its essence to most. We know what it is; we can play it in movies, and write it in books and poems, but to experience it with another, only so few get the chance to do so. So I ask this to both of you. When you think of the words love, what is the first thing that comes to mind? When you think of hate what’s the first thing to come to mind? When you think of trust what comes to mind? Then think how many times of each have you experience/felt in the past month. Does one outweigh the other?
My point depending on how words are used the outcome can change an out look.
Submitted by Karamelkandi
Here’s how I answer your questions:
Love = unconditional acceptance. That means accepting that the other will do things that might make you mad. Things that you think are stupid, or selfish. They are THEM, and you are YOU. You are not their jailor– you are their closest, most intimate friend in life, and you love them because you understand and accept them completely.
Hate = Rejection, dismissal, or refusal to acknowledge another person’s life. The mind gets creative with ways to describe hate. But all of them are dismissals of another person’s existence.
Trust is a little different, I think. You can sometimes trust a person you dislike. You can sometimes mistrust the one that you love. Trust is earned and builds up slowly over time through deeds, whether you love or hate the person.
Your last sentence was awesome– the words WE choose to describe our lives determines how we feel about our day. That affects how other people “see” us, and their reaction to that affects OUR lives in a REAL way. It’s like manifesting a good day out of thin air. The words you think become the words you speak, which become the words you get in return, most of the time.
Nice discussion!
Submitted by jpd
Love: Free, to be who you are and still have someone accept and cherish you. Love means not hidden whom you are, accepting mistakes and different point of views and moving on. Love is what makes our day better, regardless of the fight you had last night, it’s at the end of the day knowing everything is going to be alright. Love is compassion and friendship, souls entwine. Love is also a roller coaster, high and lows, but always at the end your heart swells knowing there is another who cares deeply for you and loves you no matter what.
Hate: jdp stole my definition. Hate is being afraid of what you can’t comprehend. Hate is hiding yourself to something different, instead of respecting or accepting, you give up. Hate is being weak.
Trust: Knowing that when I fall, you will catch me. Most of us start out trusting people completely, and then slowly starts disappearing. Others start without nothing then slowly build their way, all depending on their past with trust; whether it be a parent or friends, it started somewhere. Things that others do change the way we view and act towards them. In true love, trust is given without a doubt, without any hesitation for there is no love without trust. How do you trust someone? It’s faith. Just like jdp say sometimes you can trust someone you don’t like because you know them to always act a certain way with you and be honest because they have nothing to gain.
This past month has been crazy for me, the fighting never ending but in the end when I’m supposed to be mad, I find myself smiling, remembering little things my husband does when were arguing or when he is trying to prove his point. In the end, I smile, because I know when I get home, the fight has ended; we are friends again but tomorrow were at it again. After awhile, fighting or arguing becomes a natural thing (nothing violent) because you realize regardless of how much you love someone, you’re still different and arguing is part of knowing your partner’s dislikes, so next time you can avoid it. The difference I notice between truly loving someone is that no matter how tough the fight gets, you never break up, you take time to cool off and wait for your apology. Maybe the marriage thing where it’s not so easy to dump somebody when they make you mad or get on your nerve, but even still when I think about us dating, there were times I wanted to wrap my hands around his neck, but never once did I say it’s over to him. In my head I said it, to friend I confessed but never went through with it because I realize my life without him is much richer, greater, and more precious than without him. I saw what we could have, so I took a chance.
Submitted by Sugar