To the editor:

Cal Thomas’ column on the opinion page of the May 6 Journal-World reveals his logical “squishiness” when he argues for the death of Zacarias Moussaoui. His plea for “just desserts” also goes by the label “an eye for an eye,” a moral stance long shown to be savage, emotional and ineffective. (One particular leader in moral matter, Jesus of Nazareth, teaches another way.)

Thomas’ idea of “restitution” is quite embarrassingly dumb: Sure, stolen property can be restored by the perpetrator, but not the life of a murder victim through the killing of the murderer. Capital punishment doesn’t bring back the victim! The jury in the Moussaoui case won the moral high ground by not resorting to execution.

The Journal-World should censure Thomas for his odd rant and spare us his “objective truth.”

Tim O’Brien,

Lawrence