... as murder is abhorrent, state-authorized killings are immoral. In fact, leftists argue that it embodies the appalling inefficiency and brutality of violence rather than a civilized solution to difficult social problems. (Bedau) "[T]he eighth amendment's guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment mandates that the state, even when it undertakes to punish an individual who has transgressed laws, recognize ... Rust-Tierney, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Capital Punishment Project. "What is this, some form of natural selection? Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., D-I11 said, "de...

• Word Count: 3235
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School