Capital Punishment

The death penalty can possibly be considered one of the most debated issues in the United States. In this essay I am going to discuss what the death penalty is, and how it has changed over the course of time. I will also reference passages by two authors from our current readings and compare their point-of-views to my own. In the two essays, “Execution” by Anna Quindlen and “The Penalty of Death” by Henry Louis Mencken, you are able to see two outlooks on this controversial topic. The death penalty is a judicially ordered execution of a prisoner resulting from some type of serious crime, which is typically the act of murder. Most convicted murderers face the possibility of execution dependent upon the nature of their crimes. For example, a person who is involved in an automobile accident that takes a passenger’s life may end up doing some jail time but will most likely not be sentenced to death. Where as a person who gets into their vehicle and starts mowing down innocent pedestrians with no regard for human life would defiantly be considered more of a prime candidate. In other words, the nature of the case is what decides whether or not the convict qualifies for the death penalty.
In ancient times the death penalty was carried out in extremely harsh ways with beheadings. As time progressed we switched to gassing and now we have a cocktail of chemicals that will just put someone out for good. There are many people that oppose the death penalty and then there are just as many people who are for the death penalty.
After reading the two essays, I enjoyed both point-of-views, as the two authors focus on the same subject, but each have a different perspective. It seems Quindlen is attempting to connect with people from today’s generation, who follow current events and can relate or possibly remember the topics such as the Ted Bundy case & and Tim Walsh tragedy. When she states, “…if my daughter had been the one clubbed to death as she slept in a Tallahassee