ONCE AGAIN WITH THE MURDER THING

Kelsey Smith’s murder is another reminder of our failed judicial policy in this country. Until we are angry enough, and ruthless enough, and have lost enough of our precious loved ones, we will not punish the murderers of our children in the way that they deserve. At this point we laud the murderer, we give them reason to kill, we punish them so lightly that those who might kill have no reason to think twice. Murder elevates the murderer’s status. They will be talked out and immortalized on television and maybe the movies. The only reasonable punishment is a punishment that is so horrible as to stupefy the mortal imagination. We need do that only a few times. And then we must let the country know that we will do the same to anyone and to everyone who takes the life of another. But our country hasn’t the guts, or the determination, or even the desire to bring a halt to murder. We have grown used to it. We have become accustomed to it. The murderer has become a folk hero, has taken an elevated place in our society. And we will not allow anything or anyone to subvert that. We love murder too much to change it now.