Argumenterande tal, Oral Proficiency

The death penalty and its execution is an barbaic act and thus unworhty of a civilized nation. That’s what the German politician Guido Westerwelle said and he does have point don’t you think?
But how is it that as many as 76 of the contries of our world actually belevies that deaht panalty is the best way to solve problems?; and how is it that in the year of 2005, 2148 human beings were officially executed?
It’s nearly the same amount of peolpe that goes to this school.
And these chocking numbers are only the executions that are official. Amnesty Inernational beliveis that china mihgt execute around 10 000 peolpe in one year.

Why do some countries still belivie in this sort of penalty?
Of course there’s many reasons but one thats always coming back is that the knowledge of deaht penalty would keep peolpe from commitin crime. But honestly, how many criminals commits a crime with the attempt of being cauhgt? Not many I think.

Then there’s always peolpe arguing that death penalty is a cheap way out. You don’t have to waste any money. That’s completly wrong. Does anyone in here have any idea about what it costs to execute ONE person in florida, USA? In Florida the process you have to go trough before you can execute someone, costs 3,2 million dollars! Keeping someone in prison on lifetime costs about 700 thousand dollars. By not killing that person Florida can save 2,5 million dollars. Use for schools perhaps?

Not convinced that the money issue is good enough reason to get rid of the deaht penalty in the world. Then what about the fact that deaht penalty is a crime against articles 3 and 5 in The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.” And “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” At least I do belivie that the deaht penalty is an inhuman punishment.

I’m standing here talking about reasons to get rid of the deaht penalty like the money issue. When there’s actually human lives we’re talking about here. I can admit I thought the thought, “he does not deserve to live”, and I belivie I’m not the only one in this room ever to think that. But that’s exactly the thoughts keeping the deaht penalty alive. Shouldn’t we have learned something from all the mistakes where innocent people were executed?

About fourteen years ago Ruben Cantu were executed by the Texas Public authoritys, he’s was executed for a murder he denied he had performed. Twelve years later old witnesses spoke up and said they didn’t tell the truth in the court proceedings. He was 17 years old and he were executed for something he perhaps never did. Think about that. It was you two years ago. It could have been your sister or your best friend.

And like Kofi Annan said: ”Can the state, which represents the whole of society, and has the duty of protecting society, fulfill that duty by lowering itself to level of the murderer, and treating him as he treated others.”


Moa Hasselgren - Svenskt orginal, våren 2006. Engelsk version, våren 2008