Monday, July 28, 2008

LAT: U.S. among "the world's most disreputable nations"

A favorite liberal theme appeared in a LAT editorial today on capital punishment, cited in the heading above. Capital punishment ought to be banned in the U.S., the LAT argues, because it's a "moral abomination" and a "stain" on this nation.

"Moral abomination" tells us very little. "Disreputable" and "stain" are inappropriate because they're untrue. Use of these words amounts to name calling, not argument.

The LAT ought to say that capital punishment, like abortion, is wrong because it involves the taking of a human life which is precious and sacred because it is God-given, even if the life has been poorly lived. Humans haven't the right to terminate human life. Only God has that right.

On a practical level, capital punishment is unnecessary. Killers can be sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole, which may be tougher for the criminal and which protects society as well as capital punishment does.

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