Constitutional Stuff

Nonetheless, the Constitution is filled with issues still debated today, including areas such as the true definition and limitations of free speech, the power of the president in foreign affairs (like undeclared wars in Kosovo), and so on which are still greatly debated. My purpose here is to give my views on some of these matters and welcome emails of your opinion as well. The best way to do this often is to take issues that are in the news today that involve constitutional problems. For instance, the US Census and campaign finance reform are two news items that come to mind, both are constitutionally based (the census is mandated by the Constitution, while campaign finance reform raises constitutional issues of free expression and equal access). The purpose of the supplied links and my personal essays is to help explain and inform people of the various constitutional issues that in some way effect our lives.

The ethics link is a very informative site, one that hooks up to many other sites that cover a broad number of issues. For instance, if you click on the link's death penalty option, you are taken to a site that supplies a great deal of information and opinions on the death penalty. The death penalty site also has many links of its own, including one on a documentary concerning the person portrayed in the movie 'Dead Man Walking.' The same wealth of resources are available on other ethical issues touched upon at the site, including abortion, animal rights, and ways to deal with poverty. So, though the site looks somewhat overly technical (boring), I suggest you check it out.

My views on the death penalty and other issues can be found among the essays on the link of that name found above, but I would like now to say a few words on a troubling component of this issue. A young woman who killed her children willingly revoked her right to challenge the death penalty, resulting in a relatively quick road to her death by the state. In her case, it is troubling because it appears that she clearly had various emotional problems that helped explained why she both killed her children and wanted to die "to be with [her] babies." The allowing of troubled individuals such as her to die is ill advised to say the least. It also is not a great punishment to basically let her have her wishes granted. After all, she does not seem to be a great risk in prison, her death is not likely to similarly deter people in her position, and obviously no chance was availiable to rehabilitate her in any way.

She is not the first person to wish to die, nor the first person to have their wishes accepted. Thomas Grasso is a different, but equally troubling case. While serving in New York for murders committed here before NY again became a death penalty state, he made his wishes known that he rather die than spend his twenty or so years in prison for the crimes committed in NY. The current governor of NY granted him his wish to avoid sufferring in jail (such a humanitarian) and sent Grasso back to another state where he also committed a murder and was sentenced to die. His execution effectively gave him a free pass for his crimes in New York, thus nullifying the will of the people who sentenced him and sentenced him under a regime without capital punishment. I oppose the death penalty, but even if I did not, this is ridiculous. I as a citizen of NY am cheated so a repeat murderer does not have to suffer in jail -- this galls me, and the money saved does not make me feel any better at all. As aside, the brothers of the victim in New York split on the proper punishment.

The issue of people on death row wanting die is clearly a troubling matter, though clearly the vast majority do not make such a choice. It is possible to have a person who decides not to challenge his or her sentence, which is his/her right, but a closer look is likely to suggest problems in upholding such wishes. Though I oppose the death penalty, even if the condemned person accepts it (the blood is still on our hands and the system still is flawed for many reasons), I do see the justice in letting a person freely choosing to die. Nonetheless, when the matter is complicated by issues such as those touched upon here, such an ethical dilemma does not arise.

Credits: The picture on this page comes from the Constitution and lots more website (not its real name; check it out anyway).