Death Penalty

No matter what someone has done, no matter how heinous their crimes or the harm they have caused, I don't think it's our place to make the call on whether they live or die. I'm not a very religious person but I do believe that it's up to God to decide when someone's time on this earth is done. That's not the only reason I'm against the death penalty, there are a few. One reason is that from what I know, it does little to deter crime. There are few people that are completely ignorant of the law and the consequences of the crimes they commit. They know what can happen, but they don't care. Another reason is that it's one of the most oxymoronic concepts I've ever heard of, killing someone because killing people is wrong, it just doesn't make sense to me. My last reason is that I don't think killing the offender will bring any closure to the families of their victims. Killing them wont bring back the people they murdered or undo the devastation they have caused. The reason I'm writing this entry in the first place is that I have recently been made aware that the infamous shooter Dylan Roof is to be executed for his crimes a few years ago. I remember reading his racist manifesto and absolutely cringing at what I saw. He has the most warped and twisted views on the world and humanity that I've ever seen. However, even though he is a sick individual and needs to be locked away for the rest of his life for the safety of the world, I don't think we have the right to make the call on whether he lives or dies. I believe the death penalty is a barbaric and archaic concept that has no place in the civilized world. It's a product of a more ignorant time. I've read about the middle ages and know all about the cruel and sickening ways people used to kill criminals and it still makes me sick thinking about it. Even though the methods have become more humane, the concept itself is obsolete in my eyes. To reiterate, I in no way whatsoever condone the actions of killers and other similar offenders. I believe that for the sake of the rest of us they need to be incarcerated for the rest of their days on this earth but I don't think that we as a society should or even have the right to commit the same act that we deem as so heinous.