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on 15-07-2002 23:41
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By Steven Malik Shelton
While at one time I was completely against its application, through the years I have come to believe that the death penalty should be applied, but only when conditions of impartiality and equality have been met.
My current position on capital punishment is primarily the result of my Islamic faith, which is based on my understanding of and obedience to the Holy Quran.
Islam takes a no-nonsense attitude towards those who maliciously transgress against the rights and the concerns of others, as the following verse clearly emphasizes; As for the man who steals and the woman who steals, cut off their hand as a punishment for what they have done, an exemplary punishment from Allah, and Allah is Mighty and Wise [5;38 Al Quran]
Yet for the state to administer and implement the death penalty, I believe that several qualifying conditions must be prevalent. It must fall on the state to provide a worthy and dignified livelihood for all of its citizens, without bias. And where a climate of economic and political opportunity is cultivated and maintained for everyone regardless of racial , social, or ethnic background. When all these conditions are met, and a parasitical criminal preys on or transgresses against the peace of the society; then that criminal deserves the rectification of society and the full club of the law.
I am, however, opposed to the death penalty in the United States precisely because it has never been applied equitably where Black and poor people are concerned. In fact it is no secret that the death penalty in America has systematically and consistently been used as a device to subjugate the poor and the disenfranchised.
A Black person is up to seven times more likely to receive the death penalty for killing a White person, than for killing a Black person. And although thousands of Blacks have been executed for allegedly raping White women, not one White man has ever been executed in the U.S. for the rape of a Black woman.
Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshal observed that out of the 3,859 people executed for capital offences between the years of 1930 and 1967, 2,266 were Black, and only 1,751 were White, although Blacks have comprised a mere 12 % of the population nation wide.
Apart from the very obvious racial overtones of capital punishment in the U.S., we find that it has also [ both historically and currently ] been used as a poor mans punishment. It is a sad reality that only those without capital receive capital punishment in America. In fact, throughout this countrys history not one wealthy person has ever been executed for a capital crime. While the poor, burdened by inferior legal representation and impatient, expedient treatment in the courts, too often end up on death row suffering under the dismal shadow of the executioner.
Last update : 15-07-2002 23:41
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