So, no this is not really my typical teacher
topic or a mom topic. But I am an American Citizen so this debate is of
interest to me.
What brings this up? Let's look at the
recent headlines of the Aurora, CO shootings. On July 20, 2012, a mass shooting occurred during a midnight
screening of The Dark Knight Rises at a movie theater in Aurora,
Colorado. A gunman, dressed in protective gear and clothing, set off tear gas
grenades and shot into the audience with multiple firearms, killing 12 people
and injuring 58 others. A child as young as 6 years old is among the
dead, and a 3 month old was reported as injured.
Americans across the country are in a state of disbelief and are
full of anger. Many are calling for this man's immediate execution
without a trial because "he deserves it", "because it will save
the taxpayers money," because it will show "no mercy for
perpetrators of this kind of action." But is this justice? Is
this a constitutional way to deal with such heinous acts? No.
Justice is
the principle that punishment should be proportionate to the offense-- it
includes righteousness and moral rightness. Revenge is to exact punishment-- it's an
opportunity to retaliate and gain satisfaction. Revenge is what many Americans want right now. And yes, a part of me too wants this. I am human after all. However, revenge is not sweet, it is an act of passionate anger that is not righteous.
Please refer to the Sixth Amendment to the United
States Constitution, "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall
enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State
and district wherein the crime shall have been committed..." We cannot let
our outrage and profound sadness over this senseless crime prevent us from
seeing that justice is carried out. To skip a trial, would take away from the
power and validity of our Constitution; in essence it would be an attack on the
foundation of this great nation. Truly, justice is more than
revenge; it is what separates us from the criminals. With that being said, I
pray that this man is held accountable for his actions in a very speedy and
public trial, where the jury does not let this criminal's personality disorder
be an excuse or lessen his sentence in any way.
