A tyrant is dead!  If anyone deserved to die by capital punishment, Saddam Hussein certainly did.  The 69-year-old toppled dictator died by hanging on Saturday, December 30, 2006.  Not even two months lapsed between his sentencing and his execution.

As Christians, we should applaud the quick efforts of the Iraqi Special Tribunal for carrying out justice.  Unfortunately, the Vatican doesn't have the courage or biblical wisdom to give Saddam's execution a thumbs-up.  But I suppose they're just being consistent with their stated beliefs.

Saddam got what he deserved and my only sorrow is that it came decades too late.  Many innocent Iraqi's died at his hands before justice rang his door bell.  But Psalm 5:5 remains true, "The arrogant cannot stand in your [God's] presence; you hate all who do wrong."  God often brings about his justice through human institutions, like justice systems.

Once a death sentence is handed down, we should waste no time in carrying it out.  Ecclesiastes 8:11 says, "When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong."

Why don't we see swifter justice in the U.S.?  The answer is probably multi-faceted, but liberals have choked the system with legislation.  The bleeding hearts of our country perceive speediness as a form of cruelty.  How dare someone not be given 50 chances to appeal his case!  But swift justice is the opposite of cruelty.  Swiftness is justice.  What says more clearly to criminals, that if they're found worthy of death, they won't have 20 years to sit in prison?  They might not have even 20 days before they die.

I'd like to see our justice system carry out executions on the day of sentencing.  After the gavel clangs in the court room, the convict doesn't return to his cell.  He's marched out instantly to receive his just dues.  (Perhaps it would be good in some cases to give the convicted people 24 hours to mull things over before facing death.) 

If I had it my way, starting today, everyone on death row will receive a notice.  Their time is up and the grim reaper is on his way.  Immediately all states that support the death penalty would start executing.  To avoid the appearance of racism, each participating state should start with the white people on death row.  And to avoid sexism, they could start with men.  When all of the white folks are dead, then the minorities will be next.

If each state performs non-stop executions, eventually all death-row prisons will be empty.  (And most death-row prisons, or sections within prisons, would not be necessary if we executed the day of sentencing.) 

Either our justice system is fair or not.  If it is fair, we should proceed with confidence.  If it is not, let's release everyone and start over.

Who would have thought several years ago, when Saddam was waving his gun and defying the world, that only a few years later he'd be dangling at the end of justice's rope?  Maybe more would-be murderers and rapists would hesitate before their next crime if they thought they might soon follow in Saddam's footsteps.

See other articles on capital punishment: http://www.neednotfret.com/content/category/8/51/50/