Comment on Johann and Margareta

George Pettie — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:08:13 GMT

I ran into my old friend Wiley the other day.

"Wiley," says I, "You still on that Capital Punishment kick?"

"Of course," says he." We won't be a civilized country until all the States eliminate it."

"Tell me again," says I. "What's really wrong with it, now that DNA testing prevents wrongful convictions."

Well, that really got Wiley going.

"Look," says he. "You know damn well that Capital Punishment doesn't deter murders, or not many, anyway. And it's brutal. A society can have no self respect if it kills those who stray."

"Stray?" says I. "We're talking about taking innocent lives here, Wiley."

"I know that," he snaps defensively. "But we can't bring them back. Two wrongs don't make a right," he declared, reclaiming his high moral perch.

I could see the discussion was over so I changed the subject, a little.

"Can you believe all that stuff that came out about that nice old baker?" says I. "What he did to all those kids?"

"Yeah," says he. "Holzhauer seemed like a decent sort. I guess you just can't tell who's twisted and evil. But he got what he deserved, likely at the hands of one of his victims who survived. Good riddance."

"What he got, Wiley, was Capital Punishment," says I

Well, that furrowed up Wiley's brow. He chewed on it for a minute, trying to find a way out of the corner he found himself backed into.

"No, not the same," says he firmly.

"Oh?" says I. "Looks like Capital Punishment to me."

"Nope," says he, resolutely shaking his head. "It's the difference between hot-blooded retaliation and cold-blooded execution. That doesn't make it right but it's not Capital Punishment.

"Really?" says I. "So, if the court turned the convicted murderer over to the hot-blooded victim or loved one for a retaliatory bullet between the eyes, it wouldn't be Capital Punishment?"

I had him pinned. I could see him squirming to get loose. He saw he couldn't win so he punted.

"Not exactly," he admitted. "But it would still be wrong, so it's not the answer. So I guess the baker shouldn't have been killed."

I suppose you miss old Holshauer then?"

"No, not really," says he. "But I sure miss those Napoleons!"

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