I rarely watch the news because I am afraid I might see something crazy. Well sure enough, I sat up after the game as the late edition rolled. A story came on about Ronnie Lee Gardner. Mr. Gardner is a man who has been on death row for YEARS for the heinous crimes he’s committed. First and foremost, I am annoyed at how long this man stayed alive on death row. If he is sentenced to die then he needs to do so immediately. Appeal after appeal after appeal. The people of Utah have been paying for this man to stay in jail for 25+ years. Finally, his reasons for an appeal have exhausted all possibilities for release and he was executed this morning, June 18th. Now early on, he selected to be executed by anonymous firing squad. I don’t think he thought it was really going to happen. Perhaps he selected this way to die as a joke?? I couldn’t imagine what it feels like. What do you do during the final minutes leading up to your death by being shot multiple times? Close your eyes? Hold your breath? Anyway.
I had NO IDEA that this method of execution still existed. How barbaric and inhumane? I thought it was all about lethal injection and electrocution. I mean I know he killed other people but personally, I feel that we, as a people, are not in any position to decide if someone lives or dies because of the crimes they committed. But the law is the law. So the firing squad is made up of members of the Department of Corrections and they are offered counseling and a commemorative coin upon completion…. Wait. Yes. Commemorative coin. As we speak, Ronnie Lee Gardner Execution Commemorative coins are getting ready to be distributed to anyone who played a part in his execution. This is the most bizarre and disturbing thing to me. Utah is having issues with funding their education system but they have time and money to have special “Ronnie Lee Gardner Commemorative Coins” made. What exactly do people do with said coin? Display it on their mantel at home? I want to see what it looks like. Is his face on it? A pin used to be given to people who participated but they didn’t wear them. Gee, I wonder why? If it is an anonymous firing squad, who would wear the pin or flash the coin afterward?
Whenever I hear about an execution, I feel uneasy. This particular one bothered me especially. I understand that he has to be executed but do we really have to commemorate it with a coin??
C’mon, UTAH…I need you to do better.
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