Death Penalty
Sydney Link
Professor Jean
English Composition I
14 November 2012
Pro- Death Penalty The death penalty has been a story of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly for decades. Many have argued and debated this controversial issue on various levels and have arrived at different conclusions. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, which is one reason the United States is so great. However, when dealing with the safety of her citizens, there is one and only one viewpoint which is clearly demonstrated in Matthew 5:38. The death penalty is a system that keeps killers out of society and prevents crime; therefore it should be administered to those who commit particularly heinous crimes. The first question you might as is, what does heinous mean and what type of crimes would be considered heinous. The definition Webster’s Dictionary gives of the word heinous is, “grossly wicked or reprehensible; abominable; hateful; odious.” The definition sets the tone for what types of crimes are considered to be grossly wicked and abominable. While killers have thought up many variations of heinous crimes, the three main offenses are rape, murder, and homicide. “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” This phrase has been around since the time of Jesus, and is even highlighted in the bible specifically in Matthew 5:38. It is based on the notion that for every wrong done there should be a compensating measure of justice. For example, if a small child steals his sister’s favorite book, consequently he should be put in time out. On a larger level, if a man opens fire in a community bus and kills one woman, he should have to pay similar consequences. This system makes justice and compensation possible. Jeff Jacoby makes a powerful statement about consequences in his article titled “Execution saves Innocents.” He said, “… the innocent life he took was so precious, and the crime he committed so horrific, that he forfeits his own right to remain alive” (Jacoby). The “he”
Professor Jean
English Composition I
14 November 2012
Pro- Death Penalty The death penalty has been a story of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly for decades. Many have argued and debated this controversial issue on various levels and have arrived at different conclusions. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, which is one reason the United States is so great. However, when dealing with the safety of her citizens, there is one and only one viewpoint which is clearly demonstrated in Matthew 5:38. The death penalty is a system that keeps killers out of society and prevents crime; therefore it should be administered to those who commit particularly heinous crimes. The first question you might as is, what does heinous mean and what type of crimes would be considered heinous. The definition Webster’s Dictionary gives of the word heinous is, “grossly wicked or reprehensible; abominable; hateful; odious.” The definition sets the tone for what types of crimes are considered to be grossly wicked and abominable. While killers have thought up many variations of heinous crimes, the three main offenses are rape, murder, and homicide. “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” This phrase has been around since the time of Jesus, and is even highlighted in the bible specifically in Matthew 5:38. It is based on the notion that for every wrong done there should be a compensating measure of justice. For example, if a small child steals his sister’s favorite book, consequently he should be put in time out. On a larger level, if a man opens fire in a community bus and kills one woman, he should have to pay similar consequences. This system makes justice and compensation possible. Jeff Jacoby makes a powerful statement about consequences in his article titled “Execution saves Innocents.” He said, “… the innocent life he took was so precious, and the crime he committed so horrific, that he forfeits his own right to remain alive” (Jacoby). The “he”