I am opposed to my government venturing into the area of killing its own citizens. Killing is a brutal act. The body resists its own murder and it dies hard.
Extinguishing life can be done without physical pain; veterinarians do it all the time. Our pets don't understand what is happening, so psychic pain is less than it would be for a fully aware human being.
The government, sanctioned by the people, kill for reasons that seem sufficient to many. The victim has been convicted of doing something extraordinarily bad.
Conviction isn't proof that he did it, and mistakes are made. That is justice gone bad in the worst possible way.
Can we speak of the pain and suffering of his family, friends? Should we speak of that? Doesn't that open a door onto our own guilt - knowingly and willfully causing agony to people who have been convicted of nothing?
"Capital punishment" is cruel, can't be undone, and causes misery to many innocent individuals, often for their whole lives.
Can we extend our compassion even to the "unworthy"? We, not they, own our emotions, and compassion is the best of them.
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
~Dalai Lama
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