Life and Liberty for all

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Life and Liberty for All: Unless Deemed Otherwise
Crafted and derived from the foresight and ideologies of the founding fathers, the words enshrined in the Declaration of Independence in conjunction with those of the Constitution has served this country well. Moreover, we must accredit the knowledge contained within the Constitution for being the guiding facet that has contributed to the prosperity and greatness we as a nation, have become to date. Arguably enough, like with any nation’s journey, ours is a nation that has endured its shares of errors which can only be expected. However, the one error that reigns supreme as being a controversial topic is the death penalty. We can’t in good faith, stand idle and continue to allow such an act that threatens to bend and tarnishes the ethical principles of the Constitution. This practice must be abolished within our country if we are to adhere to the principles laid fourth by the founding fathers in the documents we cherish so much. Moreover, it is imperative that we discredit those who support the notion that it serves as a deterrent for crime, and expose the truth that it really doesn’t. This paper will examine the ethical challenges surrounding the death penalty while also countering the arguments of those who support it.
To accurately examine the issues surrounding the death penalty, I feel it is important to address the history of it. In 1972, Furman v. Georgia, the court ruled that the death penalty, as applied, was an arbitrary punishment and was therefore unconstitutional under the eight and fourteenth amendments (Furman v. Georgia, 1972). The eight amendment states that ‘excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment in...

... middle of paper ...

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Mosser, K. (2010). Ethics & Social Responsibility. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint. Education Inc.
Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUSOC120.10.2/sections/sec1.7
(1992). Physician Participation in Capital Punishment. American Medical Association.
(2007, April 9). Retrieved from American Civil Liberties Union: http://www.aclu.org/capital-punishment Thornburgh, N. (2010). Resumed Innocent. Time, 175(21), 26-31. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Use of the Death Penalty Worldwide. (2004). International Debates, 2(2), 34-64.
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