Every life is invaluable. No life is more or less important than another. Life is gift to be cherished and the taking of a life is wrong and selfish.

What would you say to the families whose loved ones have been put into the ground too soon? To the parents who have buried their children? That their loved ones are not worth the energy and money to have the people who have murdered them put to death?

Murderers will get to live out their lives in prison without the passing of prop 34. They will still see their families, even if just at the court of appeals. They will receive the health care they need, food to eat, water to drink and a bed to sleep in every night. While some one’s loved one in six feet under, decomposing in the cold hard ground, nothing but a memory tainted by the injustice of their untimely death.

Life is not fair. But how unfair is it to let murderers live their lives when others they killed don’t get to?

I understand that prop 34 will loosen up much needed tax dollars for Californians. But instead of repealing the death penalty to save tax dollars, why don’t we find a way to keep the death penalty that is less expensive? Perhaps speed up the process, instead of spending years of repeals and court dates while the inmate is living in his protected box.

What message does this send to criminals? That if you kill someone we will let you live safely in confinement with all the basic necessities that you need and away from the turmoil you have caused for the rest of your days. Living in a protected cell, with a bed and bathroom, with food and water given to me, where I can sit and read everyday does not sound like a punishment to me. Sure I’d have a job I need to report to everyday, and the wage I make go to the families who’ve loved ones I had killed, but hey I don’t need the money when everything is provided for me. It’s the least I could do to atone for the wrong I’ve done to give the families I’ve hurt. I’d have little responsibility, no bills to pay and no stress.  Sounds like a good deal to me.

We can’t afford to keep people in prison forever. And without the death penalty they will just live out their lives, eating our tax money. At least with the death penalty they won’t eat our tax dollars for 60 or more years. I mean unless you would like to suggest their sentences shortened and to have convicted murderers walking the streets 30, 40 years after they have committed their heinous crimes.

Convicted murderers deserve to pay the ultimate price for stealing someone’s life. How would you feel if it was yours? Your family’s, friends, loved one’s life?

Vote no on Prop 34. It’s justice in its purest form.