Hello. It is sunny and bright in Chester County, PA this morning and we got the adrenaline going early on. My Schipperke got free from his harness and decided to 'herd' large dogs walking in the neighborhood. I had two other harnessed dogs on leashes which made it terribly exciting and easy to get Charlie from off of the main road. At that point, who needs caffeine?
I was more scared than angry as it was me who didn't harness him tightly enough this morning for some odd reason. I would have killed myself if something bad had happened. Maybe not killed,as that would be cruel and unusual punishment as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on this day in 1972. They were referring to the death penalty so suicide doesn't fall under that specific heading, but anyway... This may be too heavy a topic for a sunny, summer morning but what the heck.
I am not sure what my opinion is regarding the death penalty. I think it may depend on the circumstances and what all was involved. I guess if there is a fence between the proponents of and against this penalty, I am the one sitting on it. Proponents of argue that it is an important tool for preserving law and order and that the death penalty deters additional crime which in turn saves innocent lives.
They argue that the death penalty costs less than life imprisonment because it prevents needing to house and feed the criminal for so many years and that life - even in prison - is a privilege that some people should not have. Some folks are always looking for a discount!
They believe that retribution or "an eye for an eye" is often the most appropriate action because some crimes are so horrible and some criminals so callous that execution is the only way to prevent future tragedy. Like the person who stole my truck of Karen Carpenter memorabilia.
People against capital punishment seem to feel that it has no effect on crime and wrongly gives governments the power to take human life making them no better than the murderers they execute.
They argue that serving a lifetime jail sentence is a worse punishment than death, and that life imprisonment costs less than capital punishment because death penalty cases are expensive to prosecute and usually result in numerous appeals.
These people believe that the death penalty perpetuates social injustices by disproportionately targeting people of color (racist) and people who cannot afford good attorneys (classist). They say it creates a system whereby innocent people are sometimes executed. Although DNA has proven, in recent years, to have saved many asses from the gas chamber, this profiling does happen more than we would like to know.
Since we cannot stop crime and have no perfect way of keeping the innocent from imprisonment at times, here is a suggestion. Maybe we can hire some of those idiots from American Idol and other 'reality programs' to stand outside cells and either talk about themselves constantly or sing to the inmates. They could have their shining moments and torture evildoers all in the same breath. I am telling you, once a street thug, inprisoned for armed robbery and drug trafficking has a week of Sangia singing 'I Write The Songs', word all over town would spread like that book from 'Train wrecks of New Jersey'. No more crime, no more drugs. We could then turn prisons into apartment housing for college students in an 'urban' style and all would be well.
Except that then the outcasts and wannabees from reality shows would be back on TV. Have a great day. Today's photo is 'Crowded Prison Cell Needlepoint Rug.'
They argue that the death penalty costs less than life imprisonment because it prevents needing to house and feed the criminal for so many years and that life - even in prison - is a privilege that some people should not have. Some folks are always looking for a discount!
They believe that retribution or "an eye for an eye" is often the most appropriate action because some crimes are so horrible and some criminals so callous that execution is the only way to prevent future tragedy. Like the person who stole my truck of Karen Carpenter memorabilia.
People against capital punishment seem to feel that it has no effect on crime and wrongly gives governments the power to take human life making them no better than the murderers they execute.
They argue that serving a lifetime jail sentence is a worse punishment than death, and that life imprisonment costs less than capital punishment because death penalty cases are expensive to prosecute and usually result in numerous appeals.
These people believe that the death penalty perpetuates social injustices by disproportionately targeting people of color (racist) and people who cannot afford good attorneys (classist). They say it creates a system whereby innocent people are sometimes executed. Although DNA has proven, in recent years, to have saved many asses from the gas chamber, this profiling does happen more than we would like to know.
Since we cannot stop crime and have no perfect way of keeping the innocent from imprisonment at times, here is a suggestion. Maybe we can hire some of those idiots from American Idol and other 'reality programs' to stand outside cells and either talk about themselves constantly or sing to the inmates. They could have their shining moments and torture evildoers all in the same breath. I am telling you, once a street thug, inprisoned for armed robbery and drug trafficking has a week of Sangia singing 'I Write The Songs', word all over town would spread like that book from 'Train wrecks of New Jersey'. No more crime, no more drugs. We could then turn prisons into apartment housing for college students in an 'urban' style and all would be well.
Except that then the outcasts and wannabees from reality shows would be back on TV. Have a great day. Today's photo is 'Crowded Prison Cell Needlepoint Rug.'
"A pedestal is as much a prison as any small, confined space." Gloria Steinem
