Capital Punishment

Timothy McVeigh deserves to die—of that, there is little doubt. The horror of what he did, the continuing grief and sorrow he has left in his wake, the complete innocence of his victims, his apparent lack of any remorse or repentance, and the possibility that he would do it again if ever given the chance—all of these factors make McVeigh a prime candidate for the death penalty. Moreover, none of the standard doubts …

…Timothy McVeigh ask us to consider a higher standard, a standard of love and respect and compassion. Those who want to see McVeigh die are not wrong. If anyone deserves it, he does. But there is something more, an even better way to respond to this evil that has touched us so deeply. If we choose to kill him, we may in the end add to the cycle of violence we are trying to end.