I’m against the death penalty. I didn’t used to be against it, and I’ve always been a bit conflicted about it. This isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly. Life is too precious for us to be cavalier about it.

I think for me it boils down to three things. First, death is hard to reverse if you make a mistake, and since we’re all human mistakes are bound to be made. Secondly, I truly believe that people can change, even if most people don’t change. Call me an optimistic idiot if you want, but it’s how I feel. Third, it’s hard for me to justify from the standpoint of two wrongs not making a right. If an executioner has to wear a black hood to hide his identity, is his action really all that just?

Don’t get me wrong though. I don’t begrudge folks that are for the death penalty. As I mentioned before, I used to be for it and I can see how people would lean that direction. Besides, I’m open-minded enough about this to say that it’s possible my position would change again. It’s a difficult question and it tends to be colored by personal experience. With any luck, I won’t be in a position where someone has done something to me or my family that might warrant the death penalty, but you never know.

The times that it’s most difficult for me to justify my position are for cases like Saddam Hussein. I can see a lot of benefit to having him executed from a symbolic, political and military standpoint. He was just about as evil as dictators get. I certainly don’t think that the taunting Scott Adams mentions is really necessary. If you’re going to kill the guy on video, is it really necessary to try and make him freak about about it first?

Regardless of your position on the death penalty, I’m sure we call all agree that it’s awful to read news about kids killing themselves accidentally while re-enacting executions.