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| Ariel Castro and his house |
I have no doubt that Ariel Castro would've been swiftly executed upon conviction for the crimes he's been charged with had they been committed in the 19th century.
Castro, a 52-year-old Cleveland, Ohio resident, has been charged with the kidnapping and rape of three women who he held captive for 10 years in the basement of his modest home.
Castro evidently used the women as sex slaves, and evidence indicates that he also impregnated one or more of them--possibly several times--and then aborted the consequences. If that's proven, then Castro could be charged with murder as well.
Also, there could be a fourth woman who may have died while enslaved in Castro's macabre basement sex chamber. Police are investigating that possibility and the possibility that Castro disposed of her remains.
Castro's mother has already begged for her son's mercy, claiming that Ariel is "sick." While you can understand her anguish, Ariel Castro is anything but sick. Rather, he's an evil human being who made extremely bad moral choices that ruined the lives of at least three women and their families.
No doubt, Castro's attorneys will play the insanity angle. Police have discovered a letter supposedly written by Castro in 2004 where he admitted that he was a sexual predator. But consider this: If Castro is allegedly insane, then his letter proves otherwise because it reveals that he understood that his actions were wrong.
An insanity defense is predicated upon the fact that someone is incapable of recognizing right from wrong. Castro recognized that he had a problem but he refused to turn himself in.
Fortunately, capital punishment is legal in Ohio. Unfortunately, even if Castro receives the death penalty, it could take several years before he's executed. And then, he would be executed by lethal injection out of the sight of the general public.
I know that capital punishment sounds cruel. Some people will argue that the death penalty solves nothing because it can't reverse the hideous crimes that were committed by an evil monster such as Castro. But capital punishment isn't about reversing hideous crimes or exacting revenge--it's about sending a powerful message to potential criminals that if they commit the type of crimes that Castro committed, they will meet a horrible end.
In the old days, violent criminals such as Ariel Castro were executed by hanging in a public square, in full view of the public. People witnessed firsthand what happened to those who chose evil over good. It certainly wasn't pretty. Death is horrifying--even when it's administered to violent criminals. But public executions delivered their message.
In the days of ancient Israel, the Israelites were commanded by God to administer the death penalty for such offenses that are considered trivial today: "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death." (Exodus 21:17) Or, how about this one? "Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must be put to death." (Exodus 22:19) Or, this one? "Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed." (Exodus 22:20)
We certainly don't want to see the death penalty administered to anyone. Unfortunately, capital punishment is a necessary evil that has to be applied to those who embrace evil and destroy others.
In the case of Ariel Castro, he needs to be executed for what he did. And he needs to be executed in the public square to send a very powerful and necessary message that evil will not be tolerated and evildoers will not be allowed to live.
Castro's mother has already begged for her son's mercy, claiming that Ariel is "sick." While you can understand her anguish, Ariel Castro is anything but sick. Rather, he's an evil human being who made extremely bad moral choices that ruined the lives of at least three women and their families.
No doubt, Castro's attorneys will play the insanity angle. Police have discovered a letter supposedly written by Castro in 2004 where he admitted that he was a sexual predator. But consider this: If Castro is allegedly insane, then his letter proves otherwise because it reveals that he understood that his actions were wrong.
An insanity defense is predicated upon the fact that someone is incapable of recognizing right from wrong. Castro recognized that he had a problem but he refused to turn himself in.
Fortunately, capital punishment is legal in Ohio. Unfortunately, even if Castro receives the death penalty, it could take several years before he's executed. And then, he would be executed by lethal injection out of the sight of the general public.
I know that capital punishment sounds cruel. Some people will argue that the death penalty solves nothing because it can't reverse the hideous crimes that were committed by an evil monster such as Castro. But capital punishment isn't about reversing hideous crimes or exacting revenge--it's about sending a powerful message to potential criminals that if they commit the type of crimes that Castro committed, they will meet a horrible end.
In the old days, violent criminals such as Ariel Castro were executed by hanging in a public square, in full view of the public. People witnessed firsthand what happened to those who chose evil over good. It certainly wasn't pretty. Death is horrifying--even when it's administered to violent criminals. But public executions delivered their message.
In the days of ancient Israel, the Israelites were commanded by God to administer the death penalty for such offenses that are considered trivial today: "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death." (Exodus 21:17) Or, how about this one? "Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must be put to death." (Exodus 22:19) Or, this one? "Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed." (Exodus 22:20)
We certainly don't want to see the death penalty administered to anyone. Unfortunately, capital punishment is a necessary evil that has to be applied to those who embrace evil and destroy others.
In the case of Ariel Castro, he needs to be executed for what he did. And he needs to be executed in the public square to send a very powerful and necessary message that evil will not be tolerated and evildoers will not be allowed to live.
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