The arguments in favor and against the death penalty are well known. One argument, which rarely gets directly addressed, is how favoring the death penalty favors putting innocent people to death for the sake of executing those who are surely guilty (we hope). Because numerous innocent men have been exonerated of their crimes while sitting on death rows, we can safely assume innocent men have been executed.

Capital punishment is not about justice. It is about revenge. While certain criminals “deserve” to be executed, we as a society deserve the dignity of sentencing people to life in prison without the possibility of parole — for the sake of not murdering innocent victims. We also deserve the dignity of not stooping to the level of murderers.

If you are comfortable with capital punishment, you must be comfortable with the possibility of murdering innocent people.

Vote yes on Proposition 34.