I knew nothing about this guy before today; now I want to read and learn!

I don’t think the death penalty does much good. Even in a case where we know, the person is 100% guilty. It still seems at the least of debatable moral quality, and just a stupid way to spend societies times and money.

I’m against the death penalty for several reasons, actually, and I always have been. It doesn’t really make sense to me to make a statement against violence with violence. I’ve also looked into the psychological well being of people in charge-even the people involved in firing squads for example and I don’t think it is a practice that encourages mental health for these officials either. Also, our legal system is not what it should be-especially in some states-and as DNA evidence is finding, there have been cases where a person was convicted and wasn’t guilty. I don’t think it is worth that risk and I think people who are living in poverty or are minorities are at substantially more of a risk. I don’t trust our government officials to determine guilt and innocence 100% of the time and people are inherently flawed anyways so I just don’t think it is such a great idea for us to be deciding to use the death penalty.

And on a personal note, I believe in God and I think that if God really feels strongly that a person should perish as a result of his or her actions, God won’t be needing our help.

If you have a different perspective, though, feel free to share it. I’m really interested in this issue and have done quite a bit of reading on it.

I think the academy awards are sort of hit and miss, I was a little disappointed that lord of the rings only won fifty-five awards.

Capote was a good writer, he got lost at the end of his life and became a grouchy unhappy jerk. But he was a good writer for awhile. In cold blood is quite a lot different than his other works. Perhaps it is sort of precursor to the gonzo style.

I read in cold blood at least ten years ago, and the thing that struck me at the time besides how well written it was, was that it was so shocking and a big deal at the time but today with about two people a day killed In Chicago, it (a murder) interests people for a day or a week or until the next spectacle replaces it.

But in the book, and I assume in the movie, capote captures not just the horror, but the emptiness, and loss.

I think nurture is bigger than nature, although sometimes people are just born with a messed up head or something.

I used to be pro death penalty, because some people are so evil, but somehow I think it might be better for us, if we cannot use it even though some of these people deserve it.

I want to see this movie and the one with Clooney.