Monday is the start of Death Penalty Awareness Week on campus. The event, sponsored by AU's chapter of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty, includes a panel discussion, a vigil and a speech from a death row inmate. The event is a great chance to have a real dialogue about the issue, provided it does not degenerate into a shouting match.
The issue is complicated, as many arguments can be cited by both sides of the fence. For instance, those that are against the death penalty can say that there is always a shadow of a doubt in murder cases. Those for it can reply that DNA testing removes many doubts. Those against it can then point to the DNA lab scandals in Houston and Chicago, and the general socioeconomic imbalance among death row inmates.
This is a heady and complicated discussion. It's all too easy for it to degenerate into sloganeering and name-calling. Those for the death penalty say the other side supports murderers, while those against it say the other side are themselves murderers and hypocrites. However, Death Penalty Awareness Week should be a real discussion and not an argument.
Regardless of your stance, it's a good event to attend and learn from. It's always good to re-evaluate your views in light of constant new developments. It's up to the Campaign to End the Death Penalty people to keep an atmosphere of discourse and free exchange of ideas.
