Capital Punishment...

The Schiavo case is on everyone's mind. All of us are thinking about Advanced Directives. But I've got something else on my mind...

pecunium has had a couple of posts regarding Eugene Volohk's position that not only is torture is acceptable, but murderers should be made to suffer as much as possible before they are executed -- preferably at the hands of their victims' families. That has made me think.

I am making another sort of advance directive. It is my wish, should I be brutally murdered, that my killer not be executed. I would not want the state to take vengeance in my name. As far as I am concerned, that would dishonor me as much as the murderer did, and would be a repudiation of my ideals.

I realize that this is not binding on anyone. But I would ask people who care about me, if you cannot bring yourself to urge mercy, at least refrain from calling for blood. For my sake, and in my memory, if that were to happen.