A grave injustice was done in California today. Stanley "Tookie" Williams was executed. He should have been put down 26 years ago, when he murdered four people. What is wrong with us? Why are we so solicitous of murderers? Is it because we can see and talk to them, whereas the victims are hidden and silent? What about the four lives Williams destroyed? Life is the necessary condition of all else that is valuable: experiences, enjoyments, projects, and activities. By destroying a life, one destroys these things. Williams had no right to destroy anyone's life, much less the lives of four people. By murdering, he destroyed his own life. Unfortunately, he had 26 years he should not have had.
Addendum: Brian Leiter's heart bleeds even for mass murderers. See here. How much do you want to bet that if Leiter's wife and children are murdered, he'll be calling for the murderer's execution? But of course that won't be "insatiable bloodlust"; it'll be justice. Like most leftists, he's a hypocrite. Incidentally, there's a way for Leiter to demonstrate his sincerity. He should publicly state, on his blog, that if his wife and children are murdered, he will oppose the execution of their murderer. He should also state that, if he is murdered, he does not want his murderer executed.
Addendum 2: Let me demonstrate my own sincerity. If I am duly convicted of murder, I should be executed.
Addendum 3: Michelle Malkin has been covering the execution—and the bleeding hearts who protested it. See here.
Addendum 4: Here is the best thing I've ever read about capital punishment.
His victims didn't get 26 years of life. Where is the justice in that?