Life Support & The Death Penalty

These are two topics that are currently on my mind and I would like to display my inner thoughts about these subjects. Before I jump into these topics, please know that these are very controversial topics. There is no definite right or wrong truth to this as it is completely my personal opinion. Feel free to agree, disagree or question my opinions/thoughts on these matters.

Life Support

When a family member struggles with a disease that is 100% fatal or perhaps they were struggling with something and that person is suddenly on their death bad with moments to spare and one questions life support to keep them living, is it right or wrong? I'm going to have to say that it isn't right but it isn't wrong. Here are my opinions on this. I think life support can be a good option for families. If the patient being put on life support is not 100% mentally prepared to die this is a good option for them to come to terms with who they are and to wrap things up. They have experienced a long journey of life and now is that moment to reflect on everything that they've done. This also gives that person a chance to make a few more memories with their families and friends and to say a proper goodbye. And on the other end, it's good for the family and friends because they have a chance to get out any last words, secrets, etc... to that person and also give them a very thorough goodbye. Obviously when that patient dies, their memories will pass with them but at least those who are staying on the "living" realm can carry those memories with them actively.

Now here is my problem with life support. Humans are attached to materialistic things. We want money, cars, houses, fame, youth, etc... and with that comes the fear of dying, losing everything, not existing. We feel as though we each individually have some great important purpose here on this earth when in reality we're all but nothing on the spectrum of existence. In our lives, we feel massive but if you zoom out we're not even visible on the map. So with this idea of attachment in mind, when we find out that a person is going to die, naturally we take every measure possible to prevent that from happening. If they have a fatal disease where there is no cure, we have to accept the fact that this person is going to die. It might be immediate or they might be given x amount of time to enjoy life before said death may occur or definitely will occur. In some situations when that person is about to pass they can be put on life support to keep themselves going. Now as I mentioned, this can be a good thing for saying goodbyes and finishing up and final business etc... but the downside to this is that putting someone on life support is selfish. I think it's selfish because we're too afraid to let people go. It's hard to delete someone from your life in the sense of someone going from alive to dead in just a flash. There's a huge emotional and mental storm that brews when a person dies. That fear of losing someone makes life support sound good because then you can still hold onto that person. They're still blinking, breathing, alive. But barely. They can't move, they can't interact with you, they probably can't eat or won't eat. That person is most likely old and in a lot of pain and probably deep down inside wants to die or knows that death really is the best option for them and that their time has come.

If I were given the option to decide whether or not a person gets put on life support or not I would probably consult that person first. Ask them if they're ready to die, if they want to say goodbye to anyone etc... If they want time to gather their thoughts, say goodbyes, etc... I would go ahead and put them on life support until they told me, okay... I can go now. And I imagine that cannot be an easy thing to come to terms with. I guess it's an enlightened/zen/spiritual thing that each of us will experience differently at our own times in our own ways if we're lucky. However if that person does not want to stick around I would not force them into suffering just because I can't bear the thought of living without them. To me, that is selfish.

The Death Penalty

When a person commits a crime and goes to jail for it, they are punished accordingly based on what offense(s) they had. Some people go to jail for a few months, a few years, a few decades and some have the extremely unfortunate fate of being on death row. Now the idea itself of lethal injection doesn't bother me. It seems like a much more peaceful way to kill a person than beheading them, hanging them, electrocuting them, physically torturing them, shooting them etc... is it humane or not? I cannot say. Everything is situational. When it comes to people who are murderers it's hard to forgive them. If someone robs a bank it's not like that money can't be replaced, or the building can't be remodeled and the cashier can't get counseling etc... but killing someone... you can't bring that person back. You can't restore the holes that you've made in countless lives. You cannot replenish what has been taken and you cannot erase that blackness from your soul. If you kill someone and we in turn kill you, I see it as an even exchange. You took one life, so in exchange we take yours. However, if you kill someone, you kill someone. There is not right or wrong reason to kill someone because in the end you've killed someone. So what makes it ok to kill one person versus another? Intentions? Motives? The power behind your position? It's okay for a cop to kill a woman but her husband cannot? What if her husband is the cop? Do these circumstances change? So if you kill someone, you are a killer. It does not matter how you do it, who you did it to or why you did it. You are a killer. You killed someone. So if someone is getting lethal injection, shouldn't the person administering that be just as guilty? Or is it magically okay because we gave them authority to do so. As if it's our position to say who is allowed to live and who has to die. For what offenses?

I took things into my own perspective. Say someone killed someone very close to me. I imagine I would be feeling extreme loss for that person who was murdered. I would also probably feel a lot of anger and hatred towards the person who took my loved ones life. I would probably want to swear at that person and torture them in ways unthinkable. But I have a kind heart and I'd like to think of myself as a good person. I can find it in myself to forgive people for almost anything. But that's easy to say when you've never had to experience anything unforgivable such as murder. My father murdered someone. I'm not in contact with him so I have no particular emotions for him. I'm ashamed to be the daughter of a murderer. And I imagine that the family of that person that my father killed wants him to burn in hell. I bet they've also wished bad things upon my mother and my sister and myself even though we're completely innocent. The actions of another individual has left a shadow over my family. Though nobody acknowledges or probably knows about it, we do. We always will, we always have. At least I have. Every year I'm reminded on Father's day of what he did and what he took from her and her family and my family and me. Ones actions has a HUGE ripple effect on everyone around them.

So is the death penalty wrong? If someone told me that my father was put on the death penalty and that he would be killed through lethal injection. What would I say? Okay. Go for it. I don't care. Because really, I don't. I don't know my father, I don't want to know my father. It's not like if my father gets out of jail he's going to enter my life. It's not like he can bring back what he stole from that family. It's not like he can make up for all of the horrible things he did to my mother and I before he went to jail. It's not like he can step into my baby years and childhood and play the good loving father he should have been. None of that can or will happen.

When you make a decision that could bear consequences. Whether it's lying, cheating, stealing, killing, abusing, etc... you take risks. With those decisions come consequences. Some aren't that bad and others can ruin your life in an instant. If you don't get caught, lucky you, you might not be so lucky next time. When you get into those situations, you know before you even begin that there is a chance that you will be caught and punished. Obviously the nature of your actions will vary the consequences involved. For example, if you have unprotected sex or unsafe sex, you risk getting pregnant, STDs, maybe a bad reputation at school or work. You might be getting in the middle of someones relationship, or you might ruin your own. Stealing something. If you and your friend decide to shoplift at a store you might get caught, fined and sent to jail for a little bit. If  you kill someone before you kill that person you cannot be dumb enough to think that you're immune to punishment. If you do, you should probably just commit suicide now and be done with it. The second you consider killing someone, you HAVE to know that it's 99% likely that you'll be caught and sentenced to jail for 10, 20, 30 years, etc... the rest of your life or be put on death row. You can weasel your way out of doing time or being part of the lethal injection as much as you want but maybe you wouldn't be in that situation if you hadn't done something stupid and inconsiderate in the first place.

If you're going to take someones life without care or consideration of who that person is, or if they have kids, or how their family and friends are going to feel when they find out they're dead. How you are going to make your family and friends look when they find out that you're a murderer and that you're related to them. If you're going to risk that "ripple effect" of things all for whatever motive you have, why should we or they or anyone care about your life and whether or not you rot in jail or die right away?

So do I think the death penalty is wrong? No. When do I think it should be implemented? Only for the most horrible crimes. If you don't want to be put in the death sentence life your life without doing anything to put you there. There's no other solution. Be a good person and life a good life. Avoid making unnecessary mistakes and decisions that will end you up in dark places and possibly death. If you follow this simple advice I guarantee you'll never end up in jail or on the death penalty.