The man convicted of setting California Wildfires was sentenced to death for arson resulting in the death of 5 Firefighters ages 20-27 and 43.
I’m confused at my own reaction.
I do not support the death penalty.
However, I walked away from reading this story feeling that there was some justice in the sentencing. While he in all likely hood will never be put to death….I still found it “just”. A relief.
Perhaps this is a trigger for me. My youngest volunteers for Wildland fire fighting duty. His dream is to continue as a Hotshot…It’s first response…first on the line.
Perhaps too…I know many who fight and put out fires for a living or as volunteers…close friends of many years.
Does the punishment fit the crime? Is it “just”?
How do you feel about the death penalty?
Where might you change your mind?
Sands of Time 
For the longest time I was against the death penalty because of the argument about “taking a life.” Then I started really pondering the Mansons, repeat violent pedophiles and rapists, and other heinous crimes committed by the unrepentant and who amassed a following of wounded others.
And I thought…wow…we humans are so fucking arrogant in our beliefs about “rightness and wrongness” of taking life force. Kinda went along with my conversion while still a vegetarian about the “our decision” about the hierarchy of importance of live re: animals vs. vegetables.
Kale and cherries have lifeforce I cherish more than the folk I’ve mentioned above. While I have compassion for a Life Path of the heinous sort, see the “Lila” in it all, my perspective is that death is not a punishment, but rather a release from pain…so why make it easy on the unrepairable psycho/sociopaths??? Put those ugliest of the ugly in solitary confinement for the rest of their lives, except occasional times when they have to do their own personally most despised chore…like clean up puke, toilets with diarrhea, or whatever…then back to solitary confinement. In the dark. Alone. Until they die.
That is true punishment.
FYI: just as a note…it has come our awareness that some of the fires here in CA may be set by firefighters eager to work…obviously a miniscule minority. But up here in the North, there was some pretty strange stuff last year around the fires and houses that burned. Unfortunately, we will never know the truth of it all because the state fire fighting system is above legal challenge. But. Not. Cool.
Good points Gillette. I so agree about making one live with the crime. Alone in their own heads as punishment. Yep…death is nothing but an escape from it all.
Yes, that is true of firefighters as a ‘group’. They do have the highest incidence of arson…interesting huh?
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Yes, it was abolished over here in 1964. I think for many here, the frustrations come from a system where the sentences for crimes against property are often heavier than for crimes against people. What message does that give about the value of human life?
love and hugs xxx
ohhh…here too. Absolutely none….
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I don’t believe in the death penalty. I don’t believe we have the right to take the life of another.
I don’t either. I am confused at my….emotional…reaction here…
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I have a great deal of mixed feelings about the death penalty. I don’t like paying to house criminals. I don’t like alot of things about our justice system…such as paying for policing people’s drugs and sex. I just don’t think we ought to be doing that for grown people. Children? Yes. Keeping them from operating under the influence? Yes. Keeping it to certain areas of a town or city? Yes. But I don’t want to pay to make someone else behave about stuff they ought to be able to choose of their own free will…
There is no hiding from the truth about the death penalty…its legalized murder. However, I think some people deserve it.
Does an arsonist deserve the death penalty? I don’t know. I don’t know his record. Perhaps he’s been doing this for many years and keeps doing it despite being caught before.
Does that mean he deserves it?
Its not going to bring back the men that were lost. Its not going to fix the pain that their loved ones feel.
*shrugs…* I don’t know.
Before yesterday, I’ve never, ever felt anyone deserved the death penalty despite feeling the same way about the costs of housing criminals or the other ridiculousness with respect to sex between adults and drugs.
No the deaths from his actions won’t be undone by any punishment we impose….especially this one man’s death.
Legalized murder? Yep. Agree.
But this one struck me all the same. *sighs* Probably just too close to home.
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I can understand the ‘justness’ many may feel about this. I think I probably share it. Not clear thinking enough tonight to answer the ponderings here…..but will definitely ponder.
love and hugs xxx
I’m really curious M:e on what you think…over your way….hasn’t the death penalty been abolished for quite some time?
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