No baby is born into this world a "criminal." Very small children do not dream or aspire to die on death row.
As we know, on Thursday night, December 10, 2020, Brandon Bernard was put to death. I felt crushed in sadness. Though, I realize my heart would initially and instinctively have felt differently if it were my loved ones harmed by any act of terror.
Yet, I found myself pondering, what harm, neglect or trauma could've caused Brandon to be this way at the age of 18 (his age at the time of the crime), and with the very wrong crowd that paved the way to the lethal injection that killed him at the hour of his expired time on death row.
As in the story of Guy Fisher, people do rehabilitate and even in Brandon Bernard's case, people do reform their lives. As an American society, do we believe in providing the resources for people in prison, who are willing and able, a true chance to reform, retrain, redeem, readapt and reintegrate?
Despite my above thoughts, I also feel for the surviving family members of Stacie and Todd Bagley. If I had 10 million tongues, I could not find the mouth to say to the mothers of the victims, "you should move on after 22 years, and advocate that Brandon's life not be taken away."
I think Bryan Stevenson said it best "... the question is not who deserves to die for the crimes they commit, the real question is, do we deserve to kill?"
This is without question a great read. All valid points written in this piece. I agree with a heart filled with heaviness and hope that our government comes around to the side of the people
Truly Denise, truly.
Even though we live among monsters no one have the right to take a life the monster or a state government not knowing what we should do with monster eventually they will meet another monster that is bigger government has no right to take life everyone has to pay for their crime only GOD can judge.
powerfully spoken Troy "... bigger than government...only God can judge."
The death penalty should be used on people who commit heinous crimes, like the Sandy Hook shooter and other serial murders. My problem is that the justice system is notorious for falsely imprisoning and over-sentencing black people. Bernard's crime, though wrong, didn't fit the punishment. If -and only if- the person is 100% guilty, AND the crime is diabolical and intentional against multiple people, then death is warranted but states should rarely use this power.