Capital Punishment
Georgi Atanasov
ENG 102F
Professor Vladimir Levchev
Second Essay
March 11, 2013
Capital Punishment
The term “capital punishment” is a little bit misleading, because it is a euphemism for “death penalty”, but there is also an opinion that the infliction of death is not and cannot be punishment. What indeed is the death penalty? On 10th of October 2010 for the eighth time there was the World Day against the Death Penalty. During the opening ceremony the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek said: "Death can not be seen as a form of justice." However, ascribing justice to it is one of the consequences of sentencing. But if justice is absent, the deprivation of life can not be counted as a real punishment. What is it then? In my opinion, the implementation of the death penalty is murder. Legalized, organized and implemented by the state, it can be nothing but murder. Capital punishment is an extremely harsh sentence and its imposing has always been one of the greatest problems for the law.
There is no excuse for murder, even for the murder of a murderer. Capital punishment is the result of human selfishness, an act of cruelty, forceful taking of human life, which is not only a dramatic exception, but practiced activity in many countries. Behind the word punishment in the term “capital punishment” the word “revenge” is deeply hidden, which is the main reason for the existence of such a harsh act in the modern world. Historically, this type of punishment has existed since ancient times. Furthermore, it was usual for other medieval states. Some of the bloodiest periods in history are at the time of the Inquisition and World War II, when thousands were killed whether they were guilty or not.
What about the people who kill or rape in the most brutal way? Should they spend their lives in a prison? Murders have a roof over their head and food on their plate. They are not deprived of social contacts, have the right to work and so on.
ENG 102F
Professor Vladimir Levchev
Second Essay
March 11, 2013
Capital Punishment
The term “capital punishment” is a little bit misleading, because it is a euphemism for “death penalty”, but there is also an opinion that the infliction of death is not and cannot be punishment. What indeed is the death penalty? On 10th of October 2010 for the eighth time there was the World Day against the Death Penalty. During the opening ceremony the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek said: "Death can not be seen as a form of justice." However, ascribing justice to it is one of the consequences of sentencing. But if justice is absent, the deprivation of life can not be counted as a real punishment. What is it then? In my opinion, the implementation of the death penalty is murder. Legalized, organized and implemented by the state, it can be nothing but murder. Capital punishment is an extremely harsh sentence and its imposing has always been one of the greatest problems for the law.
There is no excuse for murder, even for the murder of a murderer. Capital punishment is the result of human selfishness, an act of cruelty, forceful taking of human life, which is not only a dramatic exception, but practiced activity in many countries. Behind the word punishment in the term “capital punishment” the word “revenge” is deeply hidden, which is the main reason for the existence of such a harsh act in the modern world. Historically, this type of punishment has existed since ancient times. Furthermore, it was usual for other medieval states. Some of the bloodiest periods in history are at the time of the Inquisition and World War II, when thousands were killed whether they were guilty or not.
What about the people who kill or rape in the most brutal way? Should they spend their lives in a prison? Murders have a roof over their head and food on their plate. They are not deprived of social contacts, have the right to work and so on.