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Show DAILY HERALD friday, March 30.2007 DITORIAL EDITORIAL BOARD & Publisher Randy Wright, Executive Editor Donald W. Meyers, Editorial page editor Oaig Dennis, President mm HERALD POLL Death penalty or euthanasia? hould the state allow an inmate to waive his death sentence appeals because he is chroni-- I cally ill and wants to end his misery, as in assisted suicide? U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell was confronted with that question when Ronnie Lee Gardner said he is suffering too much from rheumatoid arthritis to continue fighting the state's plans to execute him. He also claimed that a prison doctor hinted that he should withdraw his appeals to end his suffering. "You should always follow ur doctor's orders, except in legal matters," Campbell advised Gardner. She asked Gardner to continue with his current appeals until she rules in several weeks. He will also get an attorney to help him get treatment for his arthritis in prison. Gardner has agreed to hold off on his request until he speaks with a civil rights attorney. Gardner's request is the latest step in an odyssey that began when he was facing charges for fatally shooting Melvyn John during a robbery at a Salt Lake City bar in 1984. At a 1985 court hearing at the old Metropolitan Courthouse, Gardner's girlfriend smuggled him a loaded gun for an escape attempt. Gard, ner shot and wounded bailiff Nick Kirk and killed attorney Michael Burdell before he was captured on the courthouse lawn. He was sentenced to death for killing Burdell, and received a life sentence for Otterstrom's death. The state argued that by having a gun smuggled to him and plotting an escape, Gardner knowingly committed murder and thus deserved a death sentence. It's not unheard of for death row inmates to drop their appeals and demand execution as soon as possible. Some know they are going to be executed and would rather just get it over with rather than sit in prison for 10 or 20 years. Others, like Utah's Gary Gilmore, acknowledge their crimes and see the death sentence as a way to end both their criminal careers and miserable lives. But should an inmate be allowed to seek execution as a form of euthanasia? Utahns generally do not believe in killing the chronically or terminally ill to end their suffering. There's a fine line between asking medical providers to avoid extraordinary steps to keep one alive and actively putting a person out of his misery. Yet the latter is what Gardner is asking the state to do, to put an end to his suffering. He would turn the court's sentence into an act many Utahns find morally reprehensible. To some people, that's not a problem. Gardner is sentenced AH What do you think? Should Ronnie Lee Gardner be allowed to drop his death sentence appeals because he has arthritis? Send your comments to dhpollsheraldextra.com or call Please 344-294- 2. leave your name, hometown and phone number with your comments. comments should not exceed 100 words; voice-macomments should be no longer than 30 seconds. Anonymous and unverifiable responses will not be published. il y The Daily Herald will publish comments on April 8. to die and, given the facts in his case, the sentence will be carried out eventually. Who cares what Gardner's reasons are for hastening the process, as long as he dies in the end? But if Gardner is in as much pain as he claims, is he then truly in a position to make a rational decision? Such pain could interfere with his judgment, which some would argue makes execution morally wrong. Perhaps Gardner should receive treatment for his condition, and when his suffering is reduced as far as possible, the court should see if he still wants to die. Treatment may not change his mind, but at least he would seem better positioned to make that call. Another factor that needs to be weighed is whether his request serves justice. From the perspective of the victims' families, it would. They could move on with their lives, forever severing all ties to a living killer. But Gardner's request is not one of remorse for his crime or a simple acceptance of the inevitable. It is based in a selfish desire to ease his own physical suffering. Allowing him to die under such circumstances, some might argue, seems to negate the punitive effect of execution. Rather than it being the state's ultimate sanction, it tends to put the criminal in control. The question is, does it matter what his motive is? Convicts have dropped appeals for countless reasons, and nobody feels a need to slice and dice their motives and endlessly analyze each little chunk. The killer simply thinks it serves some greater good to stop fighting. If an execution serves a state interest, then the death is good for the state by definition. If it also happens to be good for the killer, it sounds like a win-wiscenario. It's a Pyrrhic victory for the dead guy, so why worry about it? n LETTERS We should be respectful to local, national leadership to a March 17 letter in which the writers speak of "a government subsidy, a handout if you will to pay people not to attend public schools." When I first read Nathan Johnson's The writers would portray "voucher article on Cheney's speech at BYU, my blood did indeed boil; not at indignaparents" as thieves, or at best, unwortion of Cheney's visit, but in the way thy recipients of public welfare. this article represented people's disreI beg the writers' collective pardon: Where does the money come from for spect of a national leader. As a child I was taught, "We believe education? Is it not from individual in being subject to kings, presidents, parents who pay taxes into the public rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, system? The writers decry that $9 million honoring, and sustaining the law." To will be spent next year on the voucher me that means, as American citizens, we recognize our political officials as program, but it's hardly a financial crisis when it amounts to less than $5 our leaders. I did not find our ex President Clinper Utahn. The freedoms that Americans enjoy ton appropriate to the office, but I held his position as commander in chief, are a result of individuals who were not satisfied and were willing to "think as president of the United States of outside the box." Without new ideas America, as a position of respect. and innovations, businesses lose their Mayor Rocky Anderson has taken the mayoral position, as an official competitive edge. Unfortunately, the voice in Utah, of criticizing the nationUtah public education system has no al president. I find this to be overstepcompetition. Could it be that through the voucher ping the boundaries of office; but even concept, wonderfully innovative and though I have my personal feelings effective discoveries will be made in about this issue, I still respect the ofeducation? Give vouchers a chance. fice which he holds. To disrespect Dick Cheney by boyI Mark Strong, Provo cotting the graduation ceremony is not only an insult to the vice president of America, but to the honored graduates Still too much ignorance in that the ceremony is ultimately recogthe school voucher debate No paper, however, seems to want to give equal time to the opposing views. This state's newspapers seem to be pushing agenda rather than reporting all the facts of the story and letting the people decide for themselves. Prior to blindly signing a petition, people need to read the "frequently asked questions" page to see the facts about the $35 million being used to purchase land and infrastructure where a privately funded stadium will be built. This information can be found at www.rlstadium.com I Pete Wangsgard, Sard" Utah could assist Cuba and cultivate better relations I read the Daily Herald's ongoing reports about the health of the Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, and the speculation about Cuba's future. Although a trade embargo exists between the U.S. and Cuba, there are opportunities for visiting Cuba (on the grounds of education, medicine, and perhaps, even religious purposes). Cuba has numerous Roman Catholic churches, and I've also seen listings of Episcopal, Baptist and other denomina- tions. Utah should send doctors, teachers, I appreciate Brooke Barker's article farmers and I Gary Barnes, representatives to Cuba to cultivate better Mayfield on the school voucher program. I inadequately followed the progress relations and find avenues to help the Vouchers benefit those who of the legislation, but I'ye become dis- masses of people who are in dire need. It's time for the veil of isolation to by some of the features of the are rich by taking from poor turbed be removed. The embargo was neceslegislation that raise questions about House Bill 148 would give public tax its appropriateness especially for sary in the 1960s, but today, it only dollars to parents to send their chilhurts the common people. Utah's fiscal restraints. Cubans need to have access to updren to private schools. As one who has supported the public How is robbing the poor to give to education system in Utah, I wonder if graded goods and services. American farmers and service providers would the rich going to give parents a choice? we can afford a three-tieresystem: The legislators claim that money prosper by filling their needs. regular schools, charter schools, and d The LDS Church could make great would exit public schools; but chilbut now, the strides by sending more missionaries dren would also exit, and the ratio of voucher school to Cuba to stand in public education There is sufficient ignorance on with othwould remain the same. the pros and cons of the issue that we ers in the faith community. The door will only swing open if the It would be wonderful if the poor need a period of serious public debate could take their $3,000 voucher (the on the question before we start putting hinges are lubricated. Cultivating betmaximum amount in this law) and ter relations with Cuba is the lubricant public money into the private schools send their children to private schools. through vouchers. The public must be that could make it happen. But how many of them can afford the more directly involved. I James A. Marples, additional costs to do so? As long as schools are purely priProvo Some parents can't afford their vate, we can have little concern as to children's school lunches. Those are or religious, social or political bias the children that I want my tax dollars even educational inadequacies. But to benefit. with public money involved, we must I'm not surprised that the Parents become concerned about biases that letters to for Choice people don't want this put can become demagoguery in private dhlettersheraldextra.com schools. up for a vote. Maybe they're afraid Fax to 5 that everyone will research and find Provo residents, sign a petition out that the Utah state public school that calls for a moratorium on the Mail to P.O. Box 717, fund only allots $2,500 to each student implementation of the school voucher Provo, UT 84603. (the lowest in the nation) and that priprogram. Perhaps Brooke Barker and I Letters must include the vate schools receive tens of thousands the Daily Herald can continue to lead author's full name, address and of dollars in tuition and donations evthe way. daytime phone number. I J.Kenneth Davie, ery year. I We prefer shorter letters, Look at the big picture: Whom does Provo 100 to 200 words. Letters this really benefit? may be edited for length. I Emily Haicrow, Before stadium nizing. d quasi-privat- e public-supporte- side-by-si- money-to-studen- MEDIA VOICES Irish ayes are smiling From the New York Daily News, March 27, 2007 the picture wasn't faked. the Rev. Ian Paisley the Democratic Unionist Party and Gerry Adams of Sinn Wo, an Irish proverb that translates as, "A good start is half the work." Con sider how long that To call it a start has taken: More than four years count"historic" ing from Britain's moment last suspension of the Northern Ireland Asis not an sembly; nine years overstatement . since the Good Friday Agreement; 300-plsince the Battle of the Boyne. Now, there is momentum, of a sort Fein really did sit at the same table inside the Stor-mo- Parliament in Belfast for their first confer. ence on the future of the troubled land they share. To call it a "historic" moment is not an overstatement, even if the two would not shake ace-to-fa- and traditional enemies in Ulster could not reach agreement on power sharing, they agreed to agree. Shared governance will start May 8, they promised. "Tus maith leath na hoibre," said Adams on Monday, quoting hands. Faced with Prime Minister Tony Blair's uimatum that hew uld dissolve the Northern Irelan ' Assembly yesterday if the two major political parties thought impossible not that long ago. Let it proceed, unhindered, unblocked, until long- held hopes are fully realized. How 344-298- Orem Give vouchers the chance to improve Utah's education I taught in public schools for nine years and have eight children who were educated in public schools. I'm grateful to their dedicated teachers. Having said this, I take exception D00NESBURY Garry Trudeau NOTIONS PRO H GROUP, rxnsim-W- wuss or uruco iSS TOO. FOR IN- sTANC,Wteim I VCKTSUPrXKNtOr stAH. ; ; III I J In In itAH. SUA lara II Mm I MM, HPS .omens-fKMHH hoxkuig Aiumc.i His?. "II ' signing the petition, research the facts In response to the "form" letter that was published from Jerry Septon, I would like to.have some facts regarding the stadium funding. Septon or other sponsors of the petition have sent the same letter to every newspaper in the state, and every paper has, in turn, published it. MALLARD FILLMORE THANKS. HWMC TC1AKB 0VKHI9 I Writers are encouraged to include their occupation and other personal information. I Because of the volume of letters, we cannot acknowledge . tinpublished letters. I Letters become the property of the Daily Herald. 'Bruce Tinsley GOSH' SftfiT " OFFfR, BUll WW. K I to comment mil. No IPTC Header found V mm t |