On Dec. 29, the Journal-World reported: "Death penalty upheld." In 1997, a man named Gary Kleypas murdered a young woman. A photograph shows the yet unused "execution chamber" which has been kept waiting these four years. The image is antiseptic, indeed, it seems "scientific," as if the questions involved in the ending of a life have here been finely balanced and accounted.
"Local district attorneys' offices [were] buzzing.... Friday's ruling [is] a victory for Kansas' death penalty law." Parenthetically, I'm not sure I understand. Who is "Kansas' death penalty law"? Certainly laws don't live or breathe. Though my job involves reading and interpreting laws, I have never known a "law" to be conscious or have need. We create laws to manage the relationships between people. The question is whether the death penalty is good for "us," the people?
Don't be too quick to think my concern is for the feelings of Mr. Kleypas, or the other members of his Kansas death-row club. No doubt Mr. Kleypas deserves our scorn and an early death. My concern is not primarily for him, but rather for "us." What does a "victory for Kansas' death penalty law" portend for "us"?
Back to "The Lord of the Rings." Is the story simply some fantasy/foolishness? Or is there a reason we flock, and pay money to see it? Following are some words of its author, put into the mouth of his wizard, Gandalf:
"Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and mercy: not to strike without need....
"Deserves [death]! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends."
"Staying our hand" through "pity" and "mercy" is no gift to Mr. Kleypas and his ilk, but rather our gift to ourselves.
William J. Skepnek,
Lawrence
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