Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Why ambivalence toward killing?


I am deeply puzzled by this nation's ambivalent attitude toward killing people. Why didn't the Supreme Count stay the Idaho execution of Troy Davis until serious new doubts as to his guilt had been carefully examined? Why did the audience at a September Republican debate applaud Rick Perry's record-breaking number of executions in Texas? And the suggestion by Ron Paul that the uninsured should be left to die?

Yet the very same people would probably insist that a woman must bear the child of a rapist, (and approve the murder of an abortion provider) and that a terminally sick person must be kept alive at all cost to suffer an agonizing end.

Why is killing innocent people in other countries acceptable, but woe becomes any foreigner who kills an American? Why are we so keen on starting wars? Why are civilians encouraged to own and carry guns?

America sees itself (and boasts about it, if I may say so, to an embarrassing degree) as the greatest, most generous, peace-loving, democratic, envy-of-the-world nation ever to exist. It seems to be time to take off the rose-tinted spectacles and have a good look at ourselves.

Diana Fassino

Ketchum




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