Moral Relativism Ad Absurdium

Richard Cohen doesn't want Zacarias Mousaaoui put to death.

Of course, I would not seek his death in any case. I am opposed to capital punishment -- not for Moussaoui's sake or for another guy's, but for our own. The taking of life is something we should not permit government to do. In the first place, life is inviolate. Second, governments have abused this power in the past and will do so in the future. It is no accident that Europe bans the death penalty. Under Hitler, Stalin and others, Europeans learned what government can do. (source)

A judge, a carefully crafted, highly protective legal system, all the eyes of the world in focus -- and Cohen draws a direct line from this to Hitler and Stalin? Can he see no difference?

Hitler and Stalin wore uniforms, therefore no one should wear uniforms. Hitler and Stalin had mustaches, therefore lip fuzz should be forbidden.

Europe says 14 years olds can conscent to sex with an adult, therefore we should say the same. Europe says religion should whither and die, we therefore should do without it as well.

These are arguments that Cohen is making? His kneebone must be connected to his skullbone because his thoughts are all knee-jerky.

And who says life is inviolate? Where is that written? Not in the Ten Commandments, which specifically say "Thou shalt not murder." How could we have stopped Hitler from killing his millions if we felt life was inviolate?

Why should life be considered inviolate? What makes it so darn special if we're all going to die anyway? And why should just human life be inviolate? Why not cows? Why not AIDS viruses? Why not those trees that were cut down for Cohen's lovely home?

What good does it do for society to save a Moussaoui? The few, the inflammed, the death penalty foes, would feel better; the rest of us would feel justice was not done, that America was wimpified and a man who deserves to die would instead have an opportunity to inflame others for the rest of his long, disgusting life.

Sometimes the spark of life is so toxic it pollutes all that surrounds it. Moussaoui is such a spark. Snuff it, and snuff it soon.

Hat-tip: Real Clear Politics
Tags: Moussaoui, Zacarias, Death penalty, Richard Cohen