A question that lingered in my mind after watching Dead Man Walking was, "Is it morally just to put a criminal to death in retribution for their crime?" After watching this movie and reading the article Living and Dying on Death Row: An Eyewitness Account, I believe it is definitely an unjust and inhumane act. It is definitely not living out the word of God, who tells us "Thou shall not kill," and to "turn the other cheek". By executing someone in order to find gratification for the crime that person committed, we are acting no less cruel and evil than the perpetrator did when he/she committed the crime. .
Matthew Poncelet was a convicted killer who raped a teenage girl and killed her boyfriend. Anyone knowing the crime he committed would quickly judge him as a horrible and cruel animal. However, Sister Helen looked beyond his mistakes and imperfections, and treated him like a regular person. She showed respect to him by writing him letters, visiting him in jail, treating him like a person and not a killer, finding him a lawyer, and agreeing to be his spiritual advisor. I think by treating him with the respect she did, it helped him take responsibility for the crime he committed, which led him to turn to God for repentance and forgiveness. She also worked hard to show respect to the victims" families and learn their point of view on the subject. Upon meeting them, she apologized for the death of their children and told them that they can call her if they ever need to talk. She also visited with both victim's parents and listened to them talk about their children and how much they loved them. She offered herself to them, just as she did with Matthew as a shoulder to cry on. I think all the prisoners on death row are in desperate need of someone to talk to. In an article by Joseph Ross entitled, "Living and Dying on Death Row: An Eyewitness Account", he had a similar relationship with an inmate that Sister Helen had with Matthew.
Dead Man Walking The movie "Dead Man Walking" brought up some important questions. Questions concerning moral, hate, love, forgiveness, justice, and reconciliation. As well as if the death penalty is a appropriate and just punishment for a crime. Throughout this film there was a lot of hat...
J-21: Dead Man Walking 1. While viewing Dead Man Walking, I had very mixed feelings. ... I believe that if you kill a man, in certain heinous and cruel situations, you too should die. ... No one needs to see him die; they just need to know he is dead. ...
In the novel Dead Man Walking, Sister Helen Prejean, was asked to correspond with Pat Sonnier, a man sentenced to die by electric chair for the murder of two teen- agers, which he did not commit. Dead Man Walking, gives a moving account of her spiritual journey as she became knowledgeable about our system of capital punishment through her involvement in the lives and deaths of several convicted murderers, their families, the families of their victims and the people whose job it is to carry out executions. ... However, by talking to this man and having a "relationship...
I believe that Dead Man Walking was a very emotional movie.In this movie we can see the hatred and sadness of the family.The movie also showed how the families' hatred did not go away even after Matthew was executed. ...
The film "Dead Man Walking", tells the story of a murder that took place by two men, who killed a teenage couple. This is the background of what the main story is about. Sister Helen Prejean (played by Susan Sarandon) is on a mission to heal the sins of one of the murderers, Matthew Poncelet (...
After reading a good book the reader's view of life's and life's complications and obligations should be clearer, at least for a time. How was your reading clarified your understand of people, institution, life and its confusion? I believe that after reading " Dead Man Walking" I have a much cl...
The Grateful Dead, a name known by many and memorialized by fans as a strange spiritual journey. ... One spring day in 1964, Bob Weir was walking down the street with a couple of his high school buddies. As they were walking past Dana Morgan's Music Shop, Bob heard some banjo pickin' coming from the back "went in and checked it out. ... On April 22nd 1979, the Dead debuted their new man on the keys, Brent Myland. ... After returning to the stage, the Dead released "In The Dark-, their only top ten album. ...
After watching the movie "Dead Man Walking", I got a better understanding of the death penalty. Throughout the movie there are very clear reason why some people are for the death penalty and why others may be against it. I am actually for the death penalty. Someone charged with first degree murde...
An Inside Look at "The Grateful Dead" You are walking around a parking lot full of almost clown like dressed people with long hair. ... The Grateful Dead, now known as The Dead, were first known as The Warlocks. ... He had boyish good looks and was known as quite the ladies man. ... The Grateful Dead is a very unique band. ... The remaining members of the Grateful Dead are now touring as the "Dead". ...