So we kill someone to show that killing someone is wrong

[avebury]

3. That pretty well sums it up.

Now if you want to make some heads explode (as in those who are blood thirsty for his death) all you have do is talk about how merciful they are being in handing out the death penalty is in this instance. Why merciful? At his age, he could live in isolation for decades under less then ideal circumstances. Instead, he will be granted what is supposed to be a merciful death, become a martyr at the same time, and the extremists will be riled up - again. For those who state he will end up in hell - who knows. Hell may be just as imaginary as heaven.

The death penalty is barbaric and solves nothing but to act as a balm to those who are just as barbaric. It becomes harder and harder all the time to try to claim, with a straight face, that the US is a first world country.