In his article, An Argument for theDeath Penalty ACC blogger Tavar Mark Conditt voiced his
opinion in support of the death penalty. Using a case, presented by Todd
Robberson, a writer for the Dallas Morning News, Conditt argues why convicted murderer George Rivas’ execution
was justified and well deserved. While I agree with Conditt that Todd Robberson
is not an expert on the topic of death penalty, I do not agree that as a writer
he cannot voice his opinion on the George Rivas death penalty case. Robberson was
strong in his conviction, and clearly articulated reasons that would ensure
“that the killer will indeed stay alive and be forced, every single day of his
natural life to confront the fact of his crime”
Like
Robberson, I believe that an eye for an eye will not stop the daily insensitive
crime that is destroying our society although I realize that many times we are dealing with the devil.Yes I agree with Blogger Conditt “ that
living criminals harm and murder again - executed ones do not.” However, it is
important to note, that the executioner has botched evidence and presented incompetent witnesses.
Statistics show that the State of Texas has one of the highest rate ofexecutions in the country. Since 1982, Texas has had 482 offenders with hundreds
more on death row, including wrongly convicted victims. While that was not the situation with George Rivas' case, several of these “convicted
criminals” have been innocent minorities who were not able to afford adequate representation.
It is good to know that
as a convicted criminal on death row, George Rivas felt “like an animal in a
prison.” He and others like him “will
spend their entire long lives, knowing that they will never, ever set foot
outside a prison. They will never enjoy life on this planet as a free person. I
want them to suffer in the blank, bleak unyielding solicitude of incarceration,
for the duration of their natural lives. Then Die.”
But instead of suffering as he
should like an animal in a prison, and “confronting the magnitude of his crime”
George Rivas is enjoying the freedom that he and Mark Conditt so
desperately wished for.
