Death Penalty is NOT the Answer.

I am an avid supporter of anti-death penalty legislation. I am very glad I live in a state that does not allow the death penalty and I seriously doubt I could live in a state that allowed it. I'm not going to get into the reasoning behind my position at this moment, but the topic is prevalent at the moment given the Moussaoui verdict of life imprisonment. I was happy with this verdict and here's why:

1) This man admits he conspired in the 9/11 terrorist attacks and admits that he would have gladly flown a plane into any number of American buildings, giving up his own life for his "cause". Putting him to death would be like giving him what he wanted in the first place.

2) His sentence of life imprisonment may as well be considered the death penalty. You think he's going to live a quiet life in solitude in the Colorado prison, cursing Americans and bragging about the thousands of Americans' lives lost at the hands of the terrorists? I'm sorry, Bubba is going to have a fucking field day with Moussaoui.

When are people going to realize that life in prison is just as good as the death penalty? I'm not saying that I think every criminal has the chance to rehabilitate themselves because I certainly don't believe that's true. But what's the harm if they do? It's not like they're going to make parole, in most cases. Tookie Williams was certainly not eligible for parole and I do think he rehabilitated during his time served before the government ended his life. How can people accept our government imposing revenge as a punishment yet establishing laws against vengeful crimes committed by it's own citizens? I just don't get how especially the ultra-conservative religious base of our country thinks that government murder is acceptable, as long as it's in retribution for some other crime.

Don't. Get. It.