We teach the children only the highest of our ideals, the most virtuous of our values. An integral part of our “code of chivalry” is Immanuel Kant’s Golden Rule: Do as you would be done by. It is taught as a rule to be followed not only in school, but one to live by. Children never fail to imitate the behavior of their elders. This is a beckoning to us, the people of the village who will raise the child, to illustrate our words, to show that the Golden Rule isn’t just an empty clich. Such crimes as murder render life cheap and people expendable. These atrocities are not to be tolerated. And a crime is only as severe as the punishment that follows, right? Ancient Babylon, in 18th century BC, had its version of our rule. “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” stated Hammurabi’s code. “Those who take the sword shall perish by the sword,” agrees the Bible. A recent study concluded that every execution of a murder deters eighteen murders on average. Raising the number of death sentences from 39% of cases tried to 40%, an increase of only 1%, would prevent one hundred five murders. One hundred five lives saved. Executing criminals renders them unable to commit more crime. If they’re dead, what more harm can they do? There are two types of punishment: lex talonis and lex salica. Lex talonis involves that “eye for an eye” principal, while lex salica involves repairing damage by payment. In some cases, lex salica acceptable, but not in murder cases. One cannot expect to buy the forgiveness of the victim’s family. This puts a price on the life of the victim and does not take into account the family’s need for retribution. If someone committed the capital crime, if he brutally murdered your mother or child, would you not want to know that he received the capital punishment, paid the full price? Would you not want to be sure that what he did to your family he&#...
