An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind

Yesterday I visited a number of historic buildings as part of the European Heritage Open Days. I visited Crumlin Road Gaol (HMP Belfast), Freemason’s Hall in Arthur Square, Cornmarket Belfast and then Stranmillis House and grounds.

Photos of Crumlin Road Gaol at http://flickr.com/photos/21622229@N00/sets/72157607291996879/

Part of the tour of Crumlin Road Gaol involved viewing the condemned man’s cell, the execution chamber and the graves of the people executed at the prison.

I found these parts of the tour particularly disturbing. Human life is, I believe, sacred. For the State to take a citizens life is, I believe, fundamentally wrong.

Some argue that execution for murder is necessary in order to ensure appropriate punishment is enacted. The words of Martin Luther King adequately summarise why such an approach is flawed when he stated that “an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind”.

Sunday 14 September 2008