The goal is not to help people but rather to hurt them when they do wrong and then to feel masturbatorially self-righteous about it. It seems that for some people, self-righteousness takes the place of sex. Vindictiveness is the mentality of the mob, of thieves and murderers, of arcane codes of conduct. It is a concept that has no place in justice. Capital punishment is the embodiment of vindictiveness, no matter how many rationalizing contortions defenders put it through.
Punishment is of course necessary to deter crime and to establish law and order.
But punishment must only be done to protect society and to reform the wrongdoer. Inflicting suffering or death for the sake of suffering or death is wrong and shameful. We cannot judge others if we ourselves are guilty of their crime. For it has become apparent to us that it is never just to harm anyone. Elton Wong is a junior in biology and philosophy from Ames.