...to the natural end

I don't support the death penalty.

I find it a cruel, barbaric practice that should not continue to be practiced in any civilized society. From Amnesty International's website, The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights. It is the premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state. This cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment is done in the name of justice.

It violates the right to life as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

A culture that values life cannot abide the death penalty. A culture that embraces violence will practice it openly. What do we know about it?

We know it doesn't stop crime. We know it doesn't serve justice or bring peace to anyone. It cannot be reversed if the accused was indeed innocent. It is discriminatory-those who can afford a good lawyer are more likely to be spared death, and minority prisoners are significantly more likely to be given a death sentence than whites. This cannot be acceptable.

Even the most 'humane' methods employed (lethal injection being the preferred method in most states) do not guarantee a painless death. And that's just the practice in the United States--overseas the atrocities are yet worse. They make no secret of this-videos of public executions are all over YouTube. They are very difficult to watch, but if they won't sway a heart against capital punishment, then I don't know what will!