Singing Loudly

I've detailed the ruling that declared the Kansas Death Penalty statute unconstituional and the responses from legislators in Kansas. The newspapers are full of letters to the editors. Surprisingly there are many letters with this sentiment being written:

A deterrent?

The letter "End death penalty" (Jan. 26 Reader Views) asked us to consider life in prison without the possibility of parole as an alternative to the death penalty, which the letter writer suggested did not protect Kansans from capital murderers; in fact, the writer said, the death penalty makes us "an accomplice to murder."

I would remind opponents of the death penalty that the punishment must be seen as a deterrent for it to be effective. The state of Kansas has not executed anyone since the 1965 hangings of escaped Fort Hood soldiers George Ronald York and James Douglas Latham. If those who have been convicted of capital murder in the 40 years since sit on death row awaiting execution, does it seem to anyone rational that we truly intend to execute them? If you told your children that as soon as they did something wrong, the punishment would come swiftly, and then forced them to wait decades until punishment, would they believe that you actually intend to discipline them?

Allow the punishment to fit the crime. And if the person convicted is sentenced to the ultimate fate, allow them to die in a much more dignified manner than those whose lives they took.
AARON VIERTHALER Andover