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DanishWhoreHens t1_j09jek6 wrote

Reply to comment by CE3K in Oregon governor commutes all 17 of state's death sentences by Slavic_Dusa

I agree but that said, I sat through a five hour commutation hearing with the Oregon parole board today listening to my family member try and stumble his way through attempting to sound repentant for blowing the the head off a six month old baby and killing her mom. Hearing the victim’s family speak is the most painful experience of my life and I cannot imagine their pain. They shouldn’t have to keep rehashing this crime every two years. None of us should. It’s agony.

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CE3K t1_j09lhbv wrote

I totally agree and my heart goes out to you and your family dealing with what sounds like a super personal tragedy. If something unfair effects me, personally, I immediately wish for some form of relief and retribution -- that's human nature. As a society we have to hold one another accountable for what's best for the community as a whole, though. There's a reason we don't let the victims sentence the offenders. So objectively speaking, when we consider all the times we've sentenced completely innocent people to death, and how often it's been abused, we have to stop and reconsider how we deal with the worst members of society.

Imagine that, a completely innocent person, with family, friends, and a future of their own, wrongly convicted and KILLED for something they didn't do. All so we can feel better and reap retribution. Can you not think of a greater injustice? Besides that, even in the most certain cases of guilt, should our objective still be revenge? As a society, do we truly wish to define ourselves with vengeance when we could defy evil with goodness instead? It's difficult to answer as an individual, but as a society I believe we are more moral for turning the other cheek and offering love and forgiveness in the face of suffering.

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DanishWhoreHens t1_j09ojtc wrote

I have imagined it, and voted to abolish the death penalty. I don’t want any person to lose a loved one, not a victim and not the families on either side who did nothing to deserve such a loss. But, a system that allows an anti-social narcissistic defendant with two natural life sentences who admits they are guilty to repeatedly revictimize everyone else involved is no solution either.

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CE3K t1_j09ot7h wrote

I'm sure there's an argument for why certain things like that exist but I'm not qualified to answer. :< But I am sorry you all have to go through such shit.

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