"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Monday 22 December 2014

Pondering The Question

I just read a headline on my new thin screen elevated television. My Christmas gift from my children. Pixels  on my old T.V. were breaking apart . It was disconcerting. I watched mainly in the evening .

Apparently a court will decide whether Oklahoma's method of execution violates inmate residents of Oklahoma of their Constitutional Rights.

Imagine that!

The only thing I think I know  but am not absolutely certain is the American Constitution guarantees  to citizens is the right to Life, Liberty and Prosperity..

Obviously if  States have  a right to execute , the right to Life Liberty and Prosperity  may well be a hollow promise.

The argument might be Constitutional Rights can be forfeit.

Point granted.

Is  that in the Constitution?

Is there a right to define  a method of execution  too.

What about children in school? Are they entitled to a guarantee of Life Liberty and Prosperity ? Or not?

Obviously not.

Any  disturbed  citizen   has  a  right under the constitution to obtain high powered weapons for the purpose of killing the greatest number before they can be stopped, kill themselves or both simultaneously.

Yes, it will be an interesting  decision.

The closest thing Canadians have  to the U.S. Constitution is the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

I think American children learn  the Constitution in class rooms.

I'm not sure Canadian children learn  the words and meaning of the Charter .

Maybe  it a doesn't matter because the Charter counts for nothing.

People are not executed.

DNA can be recovered.

Mistakes can be rectified.

Guilt can be determined by evidence  not judgement.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think our legal system is modestly better than the American. The fact that we no longer execute people
appears to be under pressure in Canada but we have made so damn many mistakes about " clear guilt " that it would be folly to go backwards.

Anonymous said...

Capital punishment is barbaric, and unworthy of a Western democracy.

Anonymous said...



Well, that's certainly a change.

Nice one.

Anonymous said...

18:10
I concede your point but wonder that we tolerate solitary confinement for long , long periods.

Anonymous said...


The words "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" are contained in the Declaration of Independence.

The American Constitution spells out the structure of government, i.e. the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches, with appropriate rights and responsibilities.

Anonymous said...

There is a similar word. My aunt Maude used to get pixilated at Christmas every year,

Anonymous said...

The words, "All men are created equal" are also included in the American Declaration of Independence - of course, many of the signatories were slave owners, so not really *all* men.