Life Imprisonment The Best Method Politics Essay

Life Imprisonment The Best Method Politics Essay On January 11, 2011, a 22-year-old male in Tucson, Arizona shot through the head of an Arizona congressional representative, Gabrielle Giffords. Jared Lee Loughner was the identified shooter. During the course of his attempted assassination of Giffords, he killed six people and wounded others. Among those who have died was a nine-year old girl. As of today, Jared Loughners sentencing is still an ongoing process. The prosecutors and survivors angered by his cold-blooded actions, argue for a dead sentence, while others recommend a life sentence behind bars. However, Loughner tried as mentally ill, but the court later discovered that he was stable and competent. Loughner planned his assassination motives beforehand, which discards the fact and beliefs that he was unstable and mentally ill. Which method would be the more appropriate and suited punishment considering his crimes was committed in competence and self-control? In the Eighteenth Century, the establishment for the first laws of death penalty included the methods of execution: drowning, burning alive, hanging, beheading, boiling, crucifixion, impalement, and other heinous practice. The foremost common method of execution during the Tenth Century A.D. was hanging. In the 1700s, crimes that were punishable by death were theft, chopping down a tree, piracy, and other minor crimes considered as misdemeanor today. How does the death penalty differ from life imprisonment without parole in terms of morality? Death penalty has long been a controversial issue of judicial punishments. Nevertheless, as of today, thirty-five out of the fifty states in the United States have permitted the death penalty. On the other hand, over half of the countries around the world have abolished the death penalty. Why is euthanasia, a form of killing unlawful while capital punishment or execution regards as acceptable in a majority of the United States? Euthanasia and ca pital punishment both involves the killing of human lives in the hands of another human. It is arguable that killing a human being is unethical and immoral; however, the reason of killing is contradictory. Euthanasia is a term, in which involves assisting a merciful death of a terminally ill or suffering patient. The death penalty is the maximum consequence carried out upon an atrocious and prolific criminal. Death penalty is the execution of a criminal in hopes of terminating future and further crimes. Life imprisonment is the better method of punishment. The death penalty is nothing more than a form of revenge; it has little impact if any of crime deterrence, the process of execution is very expensive, and there is always a slight chance of wrongful executions. Is the death penalty a deterrent to crime? Only statistics can verify the truth. According to credible statistics, death penalty is not more of a deterrent than is life in prison. In fact, statistics have proved that over the years, states with the death penalty have greater homicide crime rates than states without the death penalty. In addition, the death penalty does not guarantee rehabilitation. There is no way of bringing an executed person back to life. The death penalty is a form of revenge and does not guarantee rehabilitation or change, while life in prison can. A criminal being sentenced to life in prison has a decent chance of changing or rehabilitating. Every criminal deserves a second chance. Every single person in this world had sinned at least once, so it would be absurd to kill a person simply from one crime. The death penalty only guarantees one less criminal off the streets. As for executions, death upon criminals is instant, while life behind bars is torturous. For all we know, executed criminals may be in candy land or heaven as a joyful apparition. A victims family can rest assure that a criminal given life in prison is living in misery for the rest of their life behind bars. A question to take into account is which do criminals fear more between life in prison and an instant death? A majority of criminals may actually request a death sentence rather than prison. Criminals are not concerned about their own well-being meaning that life or death to them is just a notion. Unfortunately, the techniques of execution are not as heinous as it was few hundreds of years ago; otherwise, the death penalty would be incredible crime deterrence. The thought of pain, torture, or humiliation can petrify and intimidate criminals. The cruelest method of execution was slow slicing, or ling chi, where the public ties the condemned and a thousand of their pieces of flesh is cut, including severed limbs, ending with their beheading. The Chinese in 900 CE invented this method, until its abolishment in 1905. Today, the death penalty is nothing more than a short experience of pain. The modern death penalty is not an effective method of crime deterrence because it is not torture nor is it humiliation, but simply revenge. Furthermore, the expenses upheld by the government in the cases of punishment are a concern. Most argue that the expenses of jailing prisoners are much greater than the processes of death penalty. They are wrong. Carrying out executions is much more expensive then sheltering inmates for the rest of their lives. In reality, the death penalty and executions costs much more than inhabiting criminals in prison. Why is that? The execution of a criminal is not the expensive part, but rather the process of long trials and appeals leading up to a decision of execution makes the death penalty an expensive method of punishment. It is important to provided additional prison guards for sentenced death row inmates, as well as situating death row inmates in an escape-proof and secured jail cell. This process alone, costs over $60,000 per year for each death row inmate. The drugs used for the death penalty costs $83.55 per execution. Although, the death penalty is has not been in active use, the se ntencing of death row inmates has. Possibly the most controversial reason against the death penalty is that the innocent may be wrongly executed. Over the past decade, there have been several cases of injustices. In the history of capital punishment, the innocent have been wrongfully executed, as well as wrongful imprisoned. There is a chance of imprisoning an innocent person to life in prison as well; however, the chance of repaying their dues and finding their innocence is superior to killing an innocent person. The idea of executing an innocent person is dreadful, let alone imprisoning them for life. How many innocent death row inmates have been executed or on the verge of execution? It would be awful to discover 17 death row inmates in the nation found innocent, but killed. Supporters of death penalty even suggested for quicker death penalty trials. Hastening the process of death penalty will only increase the chance of killing an innocent individual. The better method of punishment for criminals is life imprisonment without parole. The justice system is very dysfunctional when it comes to life imprisonment. Life imprisonment without parole simply means life behind bars until a natural death. Governors and prosecutors should not interfere by requesting or endorsing an early release from prison no matter what. This is the reason the judicial system is flawed. Life imprisonment may be cruel and unusual, but it perhaps, can deter crime. It may be more torturous than the death penalty, but the death penalty is crueler because it is ultimately the end of life. Life imprisonment is the better method of punishment. Appropriate and sincere administration of life imprisonment may be the ultimate crime deterrence, as well as a rehabilitation strategy.

In paper for Martin Luther Trial

Martin Luther is a German monk. He has given himself up to the authority of the Catholic Church to address the charges that he is a heretical revolutionist. The year is 1520 and it is taken place in the city of Worms. Historians have said that this trial has led to the birth of the modern world. Martin Luther was on a journey to Worms when a bolt of lightening knocked Luther to the ground. Luther took the lightening to be a call from God, and to the disappointment of his father, who hoped he would become a lawyer, took vows at an Augustinian monastery to begin a profoundly Christian life.A trip to Rome in 1510 caused Luther to begin to seriously question certain Catholic practices. As he watched incompetent, flippant, and cynical clergy performing their holy duties he began to experience doubts about the Catholic Church. Encouraged by the reception to his views, Luther aimed at new targets. He challenged the power of the Church to excommunicate its members, writing that only God coul d sever spiritual communion. He also questioned the primacy of the Church in Rome, suggesting that there was a lack of historical support for putting its authority above that of other churches.By holding steadfast to his interpretation of Scripture, Luther provided the impetus for the Reformation, a reform movement that would divide Europe into two regions, one Protestant and one Catholic. This set the scene for religious wars. Martin Luther is being charged on 2 counts. One, inciting members of the Catholic Church to rebel against the authority and established doctrines of the universal Christian church. Two, willful denial of the authority of the Pope and the Catholic Church.Opening statement: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. My name is Elizabeth and it is my privilege to represent Martin Luther in this case before you today. You have heard the prosecutors explain what they hope to be proven, but the prosecutors did not tell you â€Å"all† of the facts. It is said that Luther was ‘inciting members of the Catholic Church to rebel against the authority' but Luther was representive of his time in the sense that he articulated the widespread desire for reform of the Christian church and a deep yearning for salvation.It has also been said that Luther has a willful denial of the authority of the pope and the Catholic Church when it is just that he arrived at a new understanding of the Christian doctrines. He became to believe that salvation comes not through external observances and penance but through a simple faith in Christ. The witnesses we will be examining is Martin Luther, Henry VIII, John Calvin, Queen Elizabeth, Jan Hus, John Wycliffe, and Anabaptist. After listening to what the witnesses have said we would ask you to keep an open mind and listen to ALL the evidence and return a verdict of not guilty. Thank you.

Profile of Senator Barack Obama Essay

Barack Obama is one of the top candidates for the democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential election. His political experience has not been as long as some of his competitors, but Obama has served eleven meaningful years as a senator from the state of Illinois. As the son of parents from both the state of Kansas and the country of Kenya, Obama’s diverse background is one of the many desirable qualities that he brings into the presidential race.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obama has now turned his sights on the presidential race, where he is running as a democrat. He is currently one of the leaders in that race, and is thought by many to hold a slight lead over Senator Hilary Clinton, He was recently endorsed by powerful talk show host Oprah Winfrey, who has lent her support in private for a long time now. Though Obama does not have the long political record that some of the other candidates have, he makes up for that by providing a fresh outlook and exciting perspective in a race that greatly needs such attributes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obama has taken some hard line stances on many of the biggest issues of this year’s campaign. The senator has consistently supported the woman’s right to choose in regards to abortion. His pro-choice mentality is something that sets him apart from many of the candidates in the race. One of the issues that Obama has concentrated on is immigration reform. According to the senator’s official website, â€Å"Barack Obama has played a leading role in crafting comprehensive immigration reform. Obama believes the immigration issue has been exploited by politicians to divide the nation rather than find real solutions† (Obama).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most important issues in this election is the war in Iraq. On that, Obama has consistently stood by his pledge to bring the soldiers home and work to end the conflict. His ideas on foreign policy have been the subject much speculation over the last couple of months. An Associated Press article stated that â€Å"Obama, closing the three-hour policy forum, said a president should be unafraid to meet with tyrants, and must restore the nation’s moral authority by ending torture, closing Guantanamo Bay’s military prison and helping fight global poverty and AIDS† (Babington).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obama has fought with competitor Hilary Clinton on a number of issues in debates and in the press on a number of issues, but none has been more common than health care. According to Timothy Noah of The Slate, â€Å"Obama’s plan creates various mechanisms to make both private and public health insurance more readily available† (Noah). This plan puts the responsibility on the American people to make their own choices about healthcare, while many universal healthcare plans make the decision for the people. This is one of the issues where Obama has received high marks from prospective voters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus far, Barack Obama has performed very well in debates, both formal and off of the stage. Though poll numbers have fluctuated based upon whom one asked, Obama has stayed mostly strong through the duration of his campaign. As the campaign has progressed, Obama’s positions have continually been challenged on a number of issues and he has consistently had to defend them against challengers. With the endorsement form Oprah in his back pocket and the primaries on the horizon, Obama looks to have taken momentum into a very important part of the campaign. Works Cited Obama, Barack. Obama ’08: Official Website. â€Å"Immigration and the Border†. Babington, Charles. (AP) Obama Touts new Diplomatic Approaches. 28 November 2007. Noah, Timothy. Obama vs. Clinton on Universality. 30 November 2007.   

Analysis Of The Book Kamo No Chomei - 1240 Words

Kamo No Chomei as opposed to Genji went out into seclusion on his own account, Genji was exiled from the capital and went into seclusion to Suma, although he had a few servants he imagines himself in solitude. In An Account of a Ten-Foot-Square Hut, the writer is basically revealing that peace can be found in beauty, and beauty is found within the soul. Sometimes the way of civilization (worry about reputation, ranking of social status, politics, love affairs, etc.) interferes in finding spiritual peace. However, Genji was a man in love with beauty and the arts, but he was never at peace with himself. He needed the company of other, specially the company of beautiful women. He might have appeared self-centered, selfish, and arrogant at first, but after reading Chomei’s story, one can see the good side of Genji’s persona. Kamo No Chomei, â€Å"An Account of a Ten-Foot-Square Hut†, recounts his life experience as a Buddhist in seclusion in the depths of Mount Ohara, moreover in his late years move deeper in the depths of Mount Hino. Kamo No Chomei went in seclusion escaping the horrors of the city capital. Chomei view the world as beautiful yet perilous, hence he perceived life itself as difficult, especially city life. In his life, he witnessed the worst the world can throw at you when nature rebels against it. He witnessed hunger and deaths by the thousands as consequence from fires, storm winds, earthquakes, sickness, and epidemics. People, wealthy and poor, ran out