Word on the street is that Barack Obama will shortly announce his choice for a running mate and possibly as soon as tomorrow!
It looks like Obama is just the cool guy to be these days. As with any political campaign we find savvy entrepreneurs and true blood, good old-fashioned capitalists that will find a way to make a fast buck.According to several street vendors across the country, more people prefer to purchase t-shirts and hats adorned with Obama’s image than McCain's. Even, one street vendor that I spoke with in Harlem proudly mentioned that he doesn’t carry any McCain merchandise. When I asked him why that was the case, his response was that “he just won’t sell.”
So, I come home from a long day of work, followed by a few drinks at the South Street Seaport. I unbutton my dress shirt, step out my trousers and put some left-over hot wings into the microwave. While changing into my “around the house” clothes, I put CNN and I hear that the Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty cannot be sought in any child rape case. To me this is pure B.S.
I firmly believe that these people should be executed. They have a condition that puts the public at risk. Even if they are incarcerated, empirical evidence states that these people have a high chance of committing these types of crimes again. Even though these people have to register as known sex offenders, there is nothing that can stop them from traveling to another town, city or county and find another victim. The other alternative would be to lock them up for the rest of their natural lives and let them live a living a hell behind bars as they are tormented by other inmates for their dastardly crime. However, this is a very expensive route and I feel that the best way to alleviate the problem would be to exterminate the criminal if this would justify the crime. Deciding if the crime is worthy of being punishable by death would be up to a jury in a court of law.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that all child rapists should be put to death. Some of these people are sick and some are curable. If this is the case, then they should be treated so they could continue to lead normal lives—everyone deserves this change if it is possible. But, for the people that are a real threat (i.e. repeat and violent offenders) I feel that the prosecution has the right to seek the death penalty if they see fit. I feel that the Supreme Court was wrong in it’s decision to bar the death penalty from child rape cases. To me, this sends the wrong message to child rapists and would be child rapists. By the Supreme Court saying you cannot get the death penalty for raping and helpless and defenseless child, that it’s not really that bad of a crime.
I think that if a child rapist new he or she would be put to death for the crime they were about to commit they would think twice about it. There is a concept of deterrence in the American Justice System. This whole concept is based on the belief that crimes will be prevented if the would be criminal is deterred from committing the crime out of fear of the penalty. Yeah, crimes do happen; but, think what would happen if the penalties for certain crimes were made less harsh. (i.e. murder would be punishable two years community service). I believe that criminals are more fearful of death than spending time behind bars. The Supreme Court really made a bad ruling on this one.
At least this is how I feel about the situation.
BJ CJ
