The Republican Party and The Celebration of Death

I never thought I would see the day when a crowd would applaud capital punishment. In the past the excuse was that this form of punishment was a deterrent to crime. Now it seems like it is merely blood lust.

I wonder where they found this crowd- left overs from the Jerry Springer show or the World Wrestling Federation? More importantly, Governor Perry's cheered record for executing the most convicts is somewhat tainted by the facts

Perry, however, continues to voice his confidence despite widespread evidence that the system is flawed. Anthony Graves spent 14 years on death row before being exonerated and released in 2010. He’s not the only one: Ernest Willis, Michael Toney, Michael Blair, and Robert Springsteen are just a few of the others who have been released from death row during Perry’s tenure. Maybe Perry has a good reason for believing that these are Texas’s only mistakes, but if he has such a reason, I don’t have any idea what it is.

Then there’s Cameron Todd Willingham, whose case suggests we probably don’t catch errors all in time. He was executed in 2004–on Perry’s watch–for killing his three children by setting fire to their house. The problem is, every national arson expert to have reviewed the facts (there have been at least four) has concluded that the fire was accidental. A committee investigating the case was preparing to hear from the nation’s leading arson expert who intended to explain why there was no evidence that Willingham had committed any crime. On the eve of the expert’s testimony, Perry dissolved the committee.

http://goo.gl/C2l7N

In the last debate, another candidate came under the spotlight regarding the uninsured. He was asked what happens to the people who fall through the cracks. It's not our problem, appears to be Ron Paul's answer. It isn't government's responsibility to protect its own people, according to his explanation.

More importantly is the reaction of the audience. Who would cheer at this notion? What has happened to the American public?
So in honor of this celebration of mortality (other people's) I submit for your approval this Tea Party promotional poster.

Related articles

• 5 death row cases that should keep Perry up at night (thegrio.com)
• Rick Perry Deserves Scrutiny For His Role In The Execution Of Cameron Todd Willingham (huffingtonpost.com)
• Rick Perry had an innocent man executed, and should be made to answer (dailykos.com)