http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/press-releases/amnesty-international-leaders-activists-speak-in-support-of-repealing-death-penalty-at-maryland-hous
Yesterday, on February 14th,
2013, the Senate and House of Representatives met to discuss the bill to
abolish the death penalty in the state of Maryland. Amnesty International,
supporting Maryland’s efforts to move towards to abolition of the death
penalty, posted the article and discussed the controversial issue of capital
punishment in the United States.
Amnesty
International USA interim executive director Frank Junnuzi highlighted several
reasons supporting the termination of the death penalty in the US. Out of the
information he provided, one fact that was particularly surprising was that
over two thirds of the countries in the world have ceased using the death
penalty, and that “the United States stands almost alone among advanced
industrialized countries retaining capital punishment” (Amnesty Internaional).
Additionally, as of 2012, the United States was one of the top five countries
that issued the death penalty; other countries in the top five were China,
Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. These countries are particularly known for their
poor treatment of individuals’ human rights, and to think that they would be
grouped together with the United States is shocking.
One of the main arguments that I
hear in support of the death penalty is that the price of the upkeep of prisons
and prisoners is too high. While this may be true, I disagree with the notion
that taking one’s life is the answer. I feel that many Americans, including
myself, do not live by an “eye for an eye” policy, and like to think that we
are forgiving and understanding. When this logic is applied to criminals, many
people’s attitude on the matter change. While criminals may not deserve the
same forgiveness and understanding as an innocent person deserves, they do
deserve the right to their life. No matter what crime an individual has
committed, he or she deserves the right to his or her life. If we, as
Americans, continue to use murder as a punishment for those who have murdered,
we will be unable to make any progress in protecting individuals’ human rights.
Regardless of the cost or hassle of keeping a person alive, no other person or
group of people has the right to determine whether or not another should live
or die.
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