One of my lurking fears is the reintroduction of the death penalty. Nothing it seems to me so betrays our corporate humanity as the desire to kill each other. That we should choose to do it 'legally' is profoundly confronting. One can criticise illegal acts, and violence...but when someone is killed by legal prescript then we are making a profound statement about our values.
We can all understand why people think Saddam should be executed, that doesn't mean we should do it. In fact I find it rather disturbing that so few voices (if any) can be heard saying that the death penalty is wrong. Just plain wrong.
One of the ironies is that it allows the voice of evil itself to paint himself as a martyr. That is an obscenity.
I go on record as saying that I believe no good is achieved by executing criminals. I do not think Saddam should be legally murdered (an oxymoron if ever there was one).
If anything Hussein should be left to rot in jail like Hess, an ongoing reminder to future generations of his evil.
He will, of course, be subect to the blood lust of the Iraqis but more realistically of the American administration. Less than human behaviour by those who claim the moral high ground.
2 comments:
i agree Stephen - we are always quick to judge and heap our so thought high moral judgement on people - we need to stop and think about the impact our thoughts and actions have - killing Saddam whatever we think about him says more about the killers than the killed. Is that what we want to leave to history? As you so rightly say letting him live in jail provides a constant reminder of his evil antics but maybe more importantly allows him time to ask for forgiveness and become a changed person.
Cheers - your old mate Kirsty
Good to hear from you Kirsty. It would be good to think that Saddam would ask for forgiveness. The lot of the proud does not seem to incorporate such. I see from the press that tere is a "rumour"that he may be exected as early as today.
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