Reflecting on the Death of Saddam Hussein and the Death Penalty in General

As everyone is well aware of by now, former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was executed for his crimes against the Iraqi people. History will likely remember Saddam as one of, if not the, most brutal and deadly dictators of the latter part of the 20th Century. His acts of war against Iran and Kuwait are well documented, his killings of political dissidents legendary, and well may well never know how many Iraqis were killed and dumped into mass graves under Saddam's rule. Many call Saddam the face of true evil, and I cannot say that I disagree with them.

All that being said, I have to say I have problems with his execution. Some of you may automatically call me a bleeding-heart liberal after reading that statement. I may be many things, but a bleeding-heart lib is not one of them. I am a pretty conservative guy. However I disagree strongly with many of my conservative brethren in regards to the death penalty. I am against capital punishment. Point blank, I think the death penalty is hypocritical. Saddam's punishment for killing a bunch of people is, he gets killed? In my mind, killing the killer lowers you to their level. And in some ways, I think he is getting off too easy. Letting him rot in prison for the rest of his life, forcing him to think about the many acts he committed and how far he has fallen would be worse than a quick death. How the former president fell all the way to common criminal living the rest of his life in a jail cell would be far worse to that narcissistic tyrant than just about anything.

Many death-penalty advocates say that capital punishment serves as a deterrent to would-be criminals, citing examples in the United States where the crime rate has dropped after bringint back the death penalty. I don't buy it. There have been many changes in the criminal justice system that I think have had more of an impact on the crime rate. Changes such as mandatory sentencing and three-strikes-and-you're-out policies adopted I believe have had more of an impact than capital punishment. Saying the death penalty has a deterrent effect is giving those capable of capital offenses a higher level of rationality than I think they're capable of.

In short, Saddam is finally meeting his maker and being held accountable for the untold number of people he has killed. But was determining the time and place really our decision to make? And did ordering his execution lower ourselves to his level? Is the lust for vengeance a trait that humans should have moved passed by now? Those are the questions I have this morning.

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to take a few moments and wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I hope everyone is having a happy holiday, and that Santa was generous with the gifts he placed under the tree this morning :-) Have a safe and happy holiday from your friend Anonymous Sources!

Barack Obama = Overrated

Senator Barack Obama has inginited quite a buzz for himself. The young Democrat has pundits, as well as a significant number of the public, anxiously proclaiming him as the next president. Yes, Senator Obama is a very intelligent individual and his life story is an impressive one. But a good story and a good IQ, a president does not make. They guy is not even halfway through his first term in the Senate. HE HAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING YET!!!!!!!! What is the landmark legislation he has drafted and championed through the Senate to presidential signature? It doesn't exist. His performance on Capitol Hill has not matched the irrational praise he has recieved for the last 2+ years. Right now, Senator Obama is running neck and neck with Peyton Manning for the title of Most Overrated Person on the Face of Planet Earth. If Senator Obama does manage to lead significant legislation through the political jungle of Washington, D.C., I will change my tune. Until then, the hype has not lived up to his actual performance.

The Big 3-0

Today I reached a milestone. This is my 30th birthday (or as I like to think of it, the 10th anniversary of my 20th birthday). While I'm not as freaked out as some people have been when they turned 30, at least not yet, I am feeling a little relfective this morning. I still haven't found a career as of yet, still not married, and we won't even talk about my financial situation. Let's just say that I'm keeping a few cardboard boxes handy in case of emergency! It is a little depressing. It is acceptable to still be finding your way in your 20s, but once you hit your third decade, you should be on solid ground in terms of your life. You should have a job and at least some marriage prospects. As anyone who has read this blog can attest to, I'm 0 for 2. I do know things can change in a hurry, and I'm waaaaaaaaay overdue for some good luck. Maybe things can turn around. If not, you know I'll be bitching about it right here :-)