The death penalty: my two pennies' worth!

 There have been rumblings of late, criticizing our continued use of the death penalty. I think these criticisms are misplaced. The death penalty can and should be practiced WITH A SLEW OF SAFEGUARDS AGAINST INTENTIONAL ABUSE by the state, and unintended failure of the justice system.

If we replace the death penalty with life imprisonment, it won’t be long before we have criminals serving life in jail and serving death to innocent citizens on the outside SIMULTANEOUSLY. How would we then deter such criminals other than through the death penalty? 

Look, it is hypocritical of any state to say it does not practice the death penalty, when it LICENSES some of its citizens as non-state actors, to carry firearms. In such a situation, the state has effectively OUTSOURCED THE DEATH PENALTY to private citizens; to mete out the penalty to would be criminals who try to usurp the state’s right to be the sole practitioner of said penalty.

State actors carrying firearms on the other hand are a mere extension of the state apparatus METING OUT THE DEATH PENALTY to would be usurpers of the state’s power and right to do so.

With proper safeguards in place, such as well-resourced medical facilities to identify cases of TEMPORARY INSANITY, well-defined legal positions regarding SELF DEFENSE etc. no self-respecting state should “abolish” the death penalty. That’s my two pennies worth!