Death... Or Revenge

Leslie Marshall had several questions tonight that prompted a response by me, which at first blush, many of you will disagree with me. She asked first if D Tsarnaev is found guilty, should he get the death penalty, and second, if a person is found guilty of a terrorist act, should he automatically get the death penalty.

Well, initially on Friday, I said to some people that I felt he should. But during the weekend, with all the coverage on the Sunday shows and breaking news, I became more sober in my thinking and began to vacillate from thaf position.

I feel that in answer to her first question, the greater penalty to him, if he is found guilty, a life sentence without chance for parole would be a more deserving sentence, so that if he lives to be 80 he can remember all the years of his life the stupid, dastardly, horrible, cruel act he committed when he was 19. The pain of that sentence would be greater than any death sentence doled out to him for instant gratification for us to savor but briefly.

In answer to Leslie's second question, I have felt, since 9/11, that a person found guilty of a terrorist act is worth more to us alive than dead. Once he is executed, there is no chance to obtain information which may be beneficial in stopping or solving a future terrorist attack. And again, the greater punishment is to let him rot in a prison with no chance for parole. That is the more satisfying vengeance we could exact from such an individual.

Based on the facts as presented by President Obama the night of the SEAL Team 6 raid to capture Osama bin Laden, it actually was a shame that he was killed. I am sure bin Laden was shot in self defense by the team member(s) involved. Otherwise, he would have been a treasure trove of information concerning future attacks, perhaps including the Boston Marathon bombings. But since he is dead, we will never know.

However, the hand we are dealt is the hand we have to play. So, for now, we can exact revenge on Tsarnaev for what he and his brother did, by letting him live and working him for as much information we can ever hope to obtain.

After all, the old Spanish (and Klingon) proverb applies best here: Revenge is a dish best served cold. And it can be very cold in prison.