When a sentence of death is passed on a person, inevitably the
fundamental question asked is "when?". Some diseases are merciful. They
destroy a person quickly. Others are very debilitating, and take much
longer. Scientists struggle to find cures, and rush around the clock.
Money is no object. After all, many diseases kill, and since we abhor
death and love life, we want most of all to prevent death.

We try to find vaccines that can be used to immunize society from life-
threatening diseases. Some deaths are difficult to prevent. We hate the
years of suffering that often accompany the process of dying. Such
suffering seems unfair. We regret that we cannot stop this senseless
dying, but it is not man-made. It is out of our control. We fight with
passion, and a love of life. But there is another death, another cancer,
a man-made one. We call it Capital Punishment. It is the cruellest of
diseases. This death is the most excruciating of all. The individual
under this particular sentence of death is made to suffer for what seems
like endless lifetimes. The waiting, the loneliness, the false hopes,
the delays, the humiliation, the futility, the desperation, and the loss
of dignity, freedom and choice combine to create the most agonizingly
stressful and painful existence one can imagine or endure. There are no
painkillers that can be or are given.

The sadness concerning this disease is that a cure exists. It does not
require legions of scientists to find the solution, it is known. It has
been known for an eternity. All that it would take is a mixture of
common sense, love, some conscience, humility and a little compassion
simply to realise that we can put a stop to this plague inflicted upon
humanity. Just by saying NO. No more draining of the human spirit by
punishing individuals in allowing them to sit and slowly die for as long
as twenty years on death row. Dying a little more each day.

We cringe when we learn about animals being used in scientific research.
We deplore any unnecessary pain to which such animals are subjected in
laboratory experiments, usually resulting in death. We cry out that
these practices be halted. But what is a man? Is he not as important as
an animal? If you could only know the suffering involved in this
uniquely slow death on the row, then you might yell out loud enough for
others to hear. You might then urge the use of the cure that just
requires saying NO ... no more madness. When will we put an end to this
quest for revenge?

                  .................................

Richard Rossi 50337