Putting the Pieces Together

Our nation was taken by surprise this past Friday when 20 elementary students and 6 teachers were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown Connecticut. As I'm sure everyone knows there are a few issues that will be formed as a result of the massacre. Many debates about gun control, violence in schools, and security will result. I think there is a time and a place for that kind of thing. We are welcome to voice our own opinions, but I believe that it is simply too soon to be attacking anyone. Before any issues are brought up I'd like to say that the victims, families and the town of Newtown are in my thoughts and prayers. I'd like to show them respect by simply giving some facts about the town and the aftermath of this horrible event.

Schools are back in session today in Newtown, but no child, teenager or parent is fully comfortable with where they are. Obviously security has been bulked up and this event seems to be an isolated one, but tensions are still high. Funerals for first graders James Mattioli and Jessica Rekos were held at a local church already this week. Both children had lives, and looked forward to the kinds of things all little kids look forward to. It makes me sad to think that those goals, ambitions, and wants will never be filled by these babies. It seems to me that the victims of this event are already being overlooked, by the politics. Eveyone is so concerned with everything else when we should really be supporting the families of the victims and the people effected. More time should be given to them to mourn before making this event all about gun control or security. The families deserve more respect than that.

An eye for an eye?

       I'm sure there are kids who start their college essays with "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." This saying, attributed to Gandhi, is supposed to be saying that world peace is something that everyone should be interested in achieving. As a man of peace, and someone who was fully committed to helping others, Gandhi is certainly who makes a good role model for morals. There must be a line drawn in the sand though, there are simply some people in this world who want to watch the world burn. No matter how many people they hurt, no matter how guilty they should feel, they'll never get it. If not put away, or in this case put to death, they would just keep hurting. When that is the case, the saying "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" simply does not cut it.
       Many people who are against the death penalty in the United States will use that saying as an argument stating that revenge should not be the answer. I would like to be able to say that revenge is bad, or that it is unhealthy to want it, but I simply don't think that's true. When someone is murdered in a brutal way, the family will be upset, and chances are they will want revenge on the person who committed the crime. This is not wrong, and although it "may not be the answer" it may bring some kind of closure for them. There are certainly cases where the family is still not satisfied even after the murderer has been put to death, but after that there is nothing else that can be done.
        I'm not arguing that the death penalty is right and just, and I'm certainly not arguing that there are no flaws in the system -that much is blatantly clear- I am however saying that there is no reason to abolish it completely. I believe that sometimes it is necessary for someone to be sentenced to death. They should not be allowed to live on this Earth anymore. In very specific cases of course. Some may disagree, and I'm not quite sure that I have the plan right in my mind. I would make it so someone would only be eligible for the death penalty if they killed more than one person (possibly even more than two or three, I'm not sure on the number, and I'm not qualified to make that kind of judgement). There are cases where the crime is too terrible. Too gruesome. The death penalty should only be reserved for those that are atrocious and the worst of the worst.