Dead Man Walking: The Death Penalty

Dead Man Walking: The Death Penalty

Dead Man Walking was an extraordinary movie that got me to re-examine and question some of my fundamental beliefs of the death penalty. I believe that this movie impacted my life greatly as it was very emotional and moving. Dead Man Walking was an excellent movie because it portrayed the feelings of both the families of the victims and the murderer himself. It showed how much pain and suffering both families had to go through with all the sadness and hatred against Matthew Poncelant.

The greatest emotional part of the movie was when Matthew confessed that he did kill the teenagers and that he was truly sorry. Matthew wanted to die with dignity and also in peace with himself and especially God. He was able to do this by asking the parents of the teenagers for their forgiveness.

The movie also showed how the death penalty can be biased on those who are poor. Matthew's partner in the crime received life in prison because he was able to hire a better lawyer while Matthew received the death penalty.

Susan Sarandon's character in this movie was portrayed as a Good Samaritan. I believe this because, like Samaritan's back in the time of Jesus Christ, no-one likes to be involved or help a murderer in need. Yet she came to his side and was there for him when he needed her. By doing this, she gave a message to the world that we are all created equal and we are all equal in God's eyes. We should always help out someone in need, especially someone who was about to die like Matthew. We must put aside our hatred and begin to care, because two wrongs don't make a right and in the end, they are human just like us.

The nun portrayed a similar character towards this murderer such as Jesus Christ. She was helping a murderer find his way with God just like Jesus hung out with lepers, prostitutes, thieves--the throwaways of his day. If we call ourselves Jesus' disciples, we too have to keep ministering to the throwaways, the lepers of today. Jesus Christ refused to meet hate with hate and violence with violence. We too have to obtain the strength to be like him.

I cannot believe in a God who metes out hurt for hurt, pain for pain, torture for torture. Nor do I think that God invests human representatives with such power to torture and kill. But in the history of our world today, many have fallen victims