Rape a child, pay with your life

Right into the deep end, folks.

CNN has an article about a rapist in Louisiana who is set on death row because he attacked a 8 year old child. Louisiana says he needs to die for it. He (of course) and his lawyer (of course of course) say he does not.

"Kennedy was sentenced to die in 2003 for sexually assaulting his stepdaughter in her bed. The crime occurred in a quiet neighborhood in Harvey, across the big river from New Orleans. Besides severe emotional trauma, Louisiana prosecutors said the attack caused internal injuries and bleeding to the child, requiring extensive surgery."

The article continues... "Kennedy's appellate attorney, Billy Sothern, argues, "When we look at what it means to be cruel and unusual, this is exactly the kind of thing that raises these serious concerns of the constitutionality of Mr. Kennedy's death sentence. The constitutional question before the justices is whether the death penalty for violent crimes other than homicide constitutes "cruel and unusual" punishment."

First of all, regardless of the merits of this case, there is a really easy way around "cruel and unusual". Do 25 states agree with it? If so, it is not unusual. "Cruel" you can argue and argue and never resolve. Since the matter must meet cruel AND unusual, go for the "unusual".

But the heart of the matter in this case isn't the punishment. It's the crime committed.

"A lot of people think there should not be the death penalty [in this case] because the child survives," said Kate Bartholomew, a sex crimes prosecutor in New Orleans.

Right there. That's the whole damn problem. If the victim of a rape survives, regardless of their age, there is still a underlying mentality that "it wasn't so bad". That the rapist doesn't need to die for it! After all, "he's not a killer".

Really?

Ever been around a raped child? Have you ever seen what happens in their lives from that moment on? Or seen what happens to them as they grow into an adult?

Yes, they survive. After getting to crawl through the darkest caves of hell to get back home. How many years are wasted with questions that can not be answered? How many volcanic emotional upheavals await? How many other lives are ruined because of it?

The rape of a child is a apocalyptic deviation from the path an innocent soul was meant to travel. The abhorrent action was far and beyond the child's control and means to avoid. And the perpetrator will be free and clear to enjoy their misbegotten lives far far far before the child has begun to heal their soul.

The "its no big deal" mentality has to stop. And putting these rat bastards into the gallows is the perfect first step to making those perpetrators, as well as the general public, understand the seriousness of these crimes.