I must have read Sam Osborne’s wallow in flower power philosophy six or seven times in an attempt to decide if he was speaking tongue in cheek or head in sand.

Instead of looking at the law which dictates the death penalty for murder, Osborne believes he has the power to look into the conscience of [Fayette District Attorney] Scott Ballard and has declared he’s determined and seeks vengeance.

There’s nothing in it for Ballard except properly executing the duties of his office. In a state where murder is still recognized as wrong, Ballard is upholding the law.

In the case of the school children of Beslan, Russia, the life of the surviving Chechen terrorist was not saved by live-and-let-live Russian families. According to the BBC report of May 17, 2005, Kulayev was dragged by Russian commandos from a lynch mob. He escaped death only because of a government moratorium on the death penalty.

Eye for an eye has nothing to do with vengeance, and, as with much of the news, has been taken out of context. It’s only a small portion of a law passed by a Higher Power and can be found in Exodus 21:24, (that’s a book in the Bible, Sam. You can stop by the library to see one).

Capital punishment and the death penalty has nothing to do with Hitler either. Would you have tried to rehabilitate him? What would be your recommendation for him or the other dictators who advocated genocide? You could put them on that planet you described.

I have a plan as an alternative to the death penalty: 1. Select one large prison (Iowa?) to send all the tried and convicted murderers, rapists and child molesters.

2. Register all the namby-pambies who think murderers, rapists and child molesters can be rehabilitated and that the death penalty is harsh and cruel punishment (never mind what the victims had to endure).

3. Assign all the nambies a prisoner or two to support their upkeep, (remember, they’ll have to have food and medical attention the rest of their life).

4. And most importantly, on weekends and holidays the nambies can drop by the prison, get shackled to their ward and take him home for the holidays. Remember, many of the victims will not be home for the holidays.

I can only speak for myself when I say after a trial and the judgment of their peers, the death penalty is fitting for violent crimes against others. It’s shameful that our laws have been weakened and watered down to the point the rights of wrong-doers trump and overshadow the atrocities suffered by the innocent.

Not only will the ne’er-do-wells be housed, fed and clothed the rest of their lives, they’ll receive better medical attention than many Americans can afford to provide for their families. Call me crazy, but there’s something wrong with that picture.

I’ll never be accused of being a religious zealot but it can be said I’ll always have more compassion for the families of the victims than the murderers, rapists and child molesters Sam Osborne wants to protect and save.

When I’m on my deathbed, and if I’m allowed the luxury of lucidity, I certainly won’t be concerned about those who received their just desserts.

Mike Loyd
Fayetteville, Ga.