“The death penalty is not about whether people deserve to die for the crimes they commit. The real question of capital punishment in this country is, do we deserve to kill?”
- Brian Stevenson
The death penalty, or capital punishment, is one of those topics almost guaranteed to start an argument. No matter what side you sit on, odds are your opinions on the issue are close to your heart.
Proponents will argue that nothing else can serve as such a strong deterrent to serious crime. Moreover, they might say that the most violent, horrific criminals don't deserve to live. Critics, meanwhile, may claim that any society willing to deal in death is little better than the criminals it seeks to punish. As Gandhi said, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."
But however you feel about the issue, there's no denying that the reality of execution is both terrifying and fascinating. It holds your interest the same way as a car-crash: although you don't necessarily want to know more--- it can be difficult to look away.
So we hope this video sparks your interest in this complicated issue. And we encourage you to learn more. When it comes to such a nuanced debate, knowledge is definitely power.