Weather in the Tries: With the possible exception of today, which may only reach 99F, we’re looking at a week of triple digit weather! Maybe it’s time to switch temps to C for a while? As I type this, it’s 67F but only 19C 😉

My Opinion on US Death Penalty:

A blogger I follow (Jerry Coyne, Why Evolution Is True) asked his readers their opinions on the death penalty. I am against it and have been since elementary school.

I was taught in elementary school that prison was a chance for people to get their life together, to grow, to be rehabilitated (rehabilitation was the key word), and become productive citizens when released. I now realize that what I was taught is not what was and is actual. However, using that logic, I wrote a letter to the then Governor of Oregon, in pencil, on wide-lined 3-hole notebook paper, asking him why, if what my teachers said was true, we had the death penalty. How does one become rehabilitated when one is dead? 

He answered. I remember his letter was thoughtful, typed, and on official letterhead stationery. I wish I still had it. Alas, it disappeared years ago.

However, my thoughts haven’t changed all that much. I’m still against the death penalty. To me, it is nothing more than state sanctioned revenge killing. Killing the person will not bring the victim back to life, will not erase the crime, and will not make the survivors feel better, contrary to what many believe. Killing the person does not prevent crime—look at Texas for that proof. And too often, the wrong person is killed. Then what? Just say, “Oopsie. Sorry!” I think not.

If you must kill someone, do it humanely—by firing squad! Unfortunately, those who are for the death penalty (oddly, many self-identify as pro-life, but that’s another topic) seem to prefer methods with a sense of torture. Boil them in an electric chair, boil them with medicines via an IV, hang them (relatively quick if done right), or put them in a gas chamber and watch them try to hold their breath. Or put them in prison for life, with no chance of parole. Then, if/when they are found innocent, they can be returned to society and their loved ones.

One of the things I find interesting about the whole discussion is the number of people who claim Christianity as their religion of choice who are pro-death penalty and who never seem to notice Deuteronomy 32:35 or Romans 12:19. Then, again, since most of the people on death row belong to the subservient caste, it’s not surprising. It’s a method to keep that caste down, afraid of trying to show how human they really are. Those same people who approve the death penalty are the ones who are pro-gun ownership for them, but not ‘lower caste’ people.

The only difference I can see between murder on the street and murder in a murder room, is who ordered and carried it out. One is criminal, one is supposedly Justice. But murder is murder is murder.

I’d love to read your thoughts on the subject—use the comment section—whether you agree with me or not.

Photo of the Week:

Entertainment:

Netflix: Still parsing out the Lucifer episodes. As bad as some are, I don’t want to reach the end of the series.

Books: Remember, when I finish a book, I review it at Rainy Day Reads.

I am currently reading Calling Bullsh*t: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World —by Carl T. Bergstrom / Jevin D. West. This book is for my book group read, and I’m only on page 25 but I’m in deep lust with the authors. Well, literary lust. They use footnotes! OMG! They are wonderful. It’s such a pleasure to read the book and the footnotes and not have to flip and flap pages to get to the back and find the endnote only to discover it’s not worth reading. (So far, all the footnotes have been worth reading!)

Finished The Woman and the War Baby —by Bill Ransom. Powerful poetry and memoir! 

Education: Ah-ha! I can count the above books on Bullshipping and poetry in my education slot 😉 By the way, the two authors of Calling Bullslh*t are, or were at the time of writing the book, profs at the University of Washington.

Writing: Have finished a few more poems, but have also finished a collection of poems, short stories, and flash memoir.  The ms. is currently out to readers who will give me a cover blurb and also write a review to hold until the book is published. The working title is: Coffee Break Escapes. I was originally going to go with the book, then decided to go with pod casts and when my voice went wonky, my blog. Most of the pieces are short enough to read on a coffee break.

Quote of the Week:

“Government … can’t be trusted to control its own bureaucrats or collect taxes equitably or fill a pothole, much less decide which of its citizens to kill.”  —Helen Prejean

Sammy Brave Dog and his human wish you a cool week with sunny skies, light breezes and calorie-free ice cream!