Saddam and the Death Penalty

From the news reports, it looks like Saddam Hussein will be meeting his maker soon. I’m not holding my breath but if the new Iraqi government truly has some balls, then he’ll be a gonner. As I was reading the reports, I took some notice to the European perspective. Did I get this correctly? They don’t want him dead?

I am a supporter of capital punishment… except when it comes to my state. It sounds weird, I know, but let me go on. Personally, I do not approve of capital punishment. I don’t believe that killing a killer is necessary for justice to be served. The possibility of killing an innocent person is also too great to ignore. Plus, why get rid of someone who could be useful? While I do not approve of the death penalty, I am more than comfortable leaving a society or other states to decide for itself if the death penalty is appropriate. If Texans decide that they want to use the capital punishment, it’s okay by me. When it comes to Michiganders and this state however, then I will throw my voice into the debate.

If memory serves, the State of Michigan has never had the death penalty. Capital Punishment was abolished when the first state constitution was ratified. To my knowledge, that ban has appeared in every one of our constitutions up until the present. Michigan, I believe, was also the first state in the Union to refuse capital punishment. It’s something that I look on with a little pride. Numerous attempts to bring in capital punishment have failed. The last one being a couple years ago. I have said that if a proposal was made, I would vote it down and keep Michigan death penalty free.

When it comes to Saddam, I’m not going to cheer on a hanging. In my mind, he has done far worse than many of those already executed in the United States—maybe all of them. If the Iraqis want him dead then it’s no concern of mine. I say let the mob have their flesh.