Danielle’s Comments (group member since Mar 22, 2009)

Danielle’s comments from the Gig Harbor AP Language reads Dead Man Walking group.

I cannot agree with you more. Her style of writing has caused me to fade in and out of the book while I am reading it... BUT, like what Holly said, she's not a perfect writer. And as I read it, I find her memoir a lot more important than her use of style. Prejean's stories and experiences are what make this book so powerful!!

Yes, yes, yes, many of you do bring up intresting points. And I can see why one might think that someone should be sentenced to death based on their "mental capacity rather than age". But because I am a firm believer in not killing anyone, it's easy for me to say that I'm definetly a firm believer in not killing minors. As Allyson stated before, this is when they are still learning from their mistakes, and although killing someone is certainly something that is far from a "mistake"-sentencing minors to death is wrong as well.

I know this may sound like the same thing that others have said, but...I don't think there is a humane way of killing anyone either. As I have stated before, I find the death penalty cruel and unusual punishment for many reasons (which I have stated on other posts). But from what Prejean writes about in this book, dying from the electric chair doesn't seem like a good way to go. Besides, from what I remember, the electric chair has no longer been a punishment that has been in use. At least in the state of Washington. We only permit hanging or lethal injection. But it doesn't matter to me, killing is killing. And I think it's wrong.

Even if they did something "horrible" as Lizzie stated, I still believe that the death penalty is completly unjust-even if the crime is heinous. To me, it doesn't matter who the person is, whether it may be another Adolf Hitler, or my Grandma. I believe that it is not our right to kill another-why should the government, or anyone else for that matter, be the person who decides who lives and who dies? It shouldn't.

Hmmmm....You bring up some intresting discussions John. And I myself have been thinking the same thing as I have been reading some of the other posts. And from what I have gathered from group discussions in class, many argue that the government punishes the murderers because they don't want them to murder again. But I have to disagree. Personally, I believe that killing another because of what they have done is a form of revenge. Which I guess you can say is "teaching them a lesson"-in a nicer way.
But then again, I think it depends on the situation. Some, like Vernon, want the murderer to be sentenced to death-because they believe that they should be punished. Or perhaps they want to harm them "as they have harmed others". I think it all depends on who you are as a person and what your beliefs are...
(that's just what I believe anyway)

In my opinion, like many above, I believe that the death penalty is worse than life in prison. If you do believe in a higher power, like me, the people who commit these heinous crimes don't get the chance to come to peace with their "sin" or whatever one might call it if one sentences them to the death penalty. I believe everyone, whether it may be a sociopath, or an average joe, everyone deserves the chance to be forgiven. Especially to come to terms with whatever higher power they might believe in. Even if they don't believe in a higher power, it's still unjust to kill others like Ariel stated above. I feel that as an American, and a human being, that sentencing someone to death because of their wrongs-doesn't make it better. It's just revenge.