When we think of murder, we think of how unjust it is. When we think of the death penalty, don’t we think of the same thing? It is clearly inhumane, and a crime of humanity for people to be put to death. Do people really deserve something as iinexorble as death? We don’t believe that the death penalty is ethically and morally just. Everyone has a valuable life, and to throw that away is simply appalling.
The right to life is something everyone deserves. According to article three of the United Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.” This means that your right to life can’t be taken away, ever. Despite one’s wrongdoing, whether or not he’s guilty, taking away that person’s life is just as bad because nobody’s life is more valuable than another’s. When a country sentences someone to death, it is violating one of the key articles in a document that the country has agreed to. You don’t have the right to decide what happens to someone’s life, when the case is as severe as death. Certain forms of punishment can be justified, but when you kill someone, that is a crime in itself. It doesn’t matter if they are murderers or innocents, two wrongs don’t make a right.
Death penalties are sometimes known to be racist. Some people are suspicious that criminals are being accused of a crime based on their race, or ethnicity. People are sometimes put to death, just because the judges have a racist influence. For example after 9/11 some Muslims were interrogated based on their religion due to the racist stereotype that “all Muslims are terrorists.” According to DeathPenalty.info.org, if you are Muslim your chances of being on death row are 3.9 times higher than others.
Many people were tortured, and some executed based on their ethnicity. The government says that it was based on the possibility that they pose a threat, but it couldn’t be since the suspects showed no links to terrorism. People also are accused based on their heritage. If you are put to death for simple things like your race, what has humanity done? Why should the your background, race, or family have any relation to whether you die of old age, or on the execution table?
The idea of murder as a form of discipline does not benefit society in any form. The death sentence of one prisoner will not benefit the greater good. In fact, it only destroys the life of the valuable human. If it weren’t for death, criminals would receive another opportunity to benefit from the goodness of life.
Families would be restored. Lives would be renewed. Martin Gilbert, a criminal who burgled houses for thirty years decided to change his life and become the person he was meant to be. According to the DailyMail.com, “I have been in and out of prison most of my life, but this time I just thought: I don’t want to end up back here. I need to change my ways.” Gilbert was able to change his lifestyle after realizing the wrong he had been committing. Criminals can change. They have hope and potential as all humans do. Therefore everyone should be treated with the right to life. One’s crimes do not define one’s greater right to life. If society can realize criminals can change, these prisoners will take the motive to change.
The idea of killing a person for justice isn’t always the most ethical choice. According to The Guardian.com, “At least 4.1% of all defendants sentenced to death in the US in the modern era are innocent, according to the first major study to attempt to calculate how often states get it wrong in their wielding of the ultimate punishment.” This number would likely be higher, however once somebody is put on death row, investigators often cease the investigation.
By putting somebody to death, not only is it indirectly murdering them, it’s sometimes putting innocent people on their death bed. That is totally unjust. Imagine if you are the innocent person, and you are being put to death, even though you know you have nothing to do with the crime. Do you still think it’s justified that people should be executed, even after 8 innocent people died in 2014?
The death penalty is a cruel, unethical choice of punishment. Each and every human being deserves the right to life. We all deserve to live until natural death, and we all deserve to have a life to live freely. The death penalty is a large consequence of racism. It is abused to stereotype and destroy the lives of human beings because of hate and prejudice. Lastly, all humans deserve a second chance. These prisoners were simply put in an unfortunate lifestyle. Humans are bound to make mistakes, and deserve the second chance to transform, and change into the person they were meant to be. The death penalty is a completely unjust form of punishment, and does no good for any small or large population of people. Do you believe justice is accomplished by ending one’s life?