虽然我是保守派，但我完全不同意塔拉·斯特罗尔关于死刑的观点。作为一个与一个因强奸和谋杀一个素未谋面的女孩而在死囚牢房中度过26年时光的人，一个实际上适合他的死刑服的人，一个在预定执行死刑前24小时最终被释放的人，我坚定而强烈地反对死刑。1995-2004年联邦调查局谋杀率统计数据表明，认为死刑能阻止谋杀的观点是完全错误的。根据这些统计数据，谋杀率最高的10个州中有9个有死刑。从理论上讲，死刑能阻止谋杀的唯一方法是迅速而确定地执行死刑。然而，正如政治科学专业的学生在罗塞尔教授的“公共政策导论”课上所学到的那样，死刑很少被规定，也很少被执行(请原谅我的双关语)。支持死刑的另一个理由，丧失行为能力，也站不住脚。杀人犯坐在监狱里不就丧失了行为能力吗?关于这一点，我不必多说了。我认为，反对这种不合时宜、无效的惩罚是完全理性的，而不是斯特罗尔认为的那种充满感情色彩的反对死刑的观点。 Issues of morality aside, the death penalty does not reduce murder rates and is not the only way of keeping murderers off the street. The only argument in support of the death penalty, therefore, is emotional. The only impetus for Ms. Stroll’s argument is revenge. The best arguments are made when emotion is set aside and one analyzes the facts. And yes, if someone murdered a friend or family member of mine, I would, in my emotional trauma, want that person to suffer an awful death. In this case, I would hope the government would not allow this, in spite of my impaired mental clarity. I am weary of putting the government above the law. What fair and just government can kill its citizens, however guilty, when there are laws against citizens killing one another? This is what our forefathers fought against over 200 years ago. The US government should never follow the example of North Korea and Iran and be above the law. In addition, the inconsistency of conservative philosophy is glaring here. How can we be the “pro-life” party if we put to death our own citizens? I would urge fellow Republicans to look at the facts, do some research, and question whether the Republican Party’s stance on the death penalty is just in our free society.
Joe Mroszczyk，波士顿大学共和党人CAS ' 07伦敦实习项目主席，电话:07875910383
