I would like to comment on David Solana’s Thursday article “Vengeful Justice.” His article seems to support the idea of life in jail without parole, rather than the eye-for-an-eye policy of execution. He asks the question, “how can the government justify the killing of one man because he took the life of a different man in his own hands?” And his answer was found in the beginning of his article like the case of Michael Ross, he killed eight women. Eight. And not just someone in self defense, but in stone cold murder. The real question that should have been asked when broadcasting this information was how does one man in society have the right to take another life and end it in his own hands? The truth of the matter is that in cases besides self defense and war – he doesn’t.

Ross took away the life of eight innocent people and brought grief upon countless others for his horrendous acts. His execution would help curb the grief of the victims’ families. How can his death not be justified? Michael Ross was a plague upon society – he chose to break the rules and rape and murder those who did not deserve such a hellish end. People need to understand that the real line to be drawn is not between justice and vengeance but between reality and wishful thinking. It is wishful thinking to give everyone life without parole. Just sending him into prison with his own room with food and books all day is hardly punishment for what he did. Ross even asked for his life to be terminated. Give Ross his final request of execution. Give the victims’ families that small bit of comfort: knowing that the killer of their loved ones will never be able to harm someone else’s family. That, in essence, is what it really is all about.

Doug Dluzen

freshman in LAS