"Let murderers hang themselves" has lots of support, Senator says

Hundreds of Canadians have contacted Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu to express their support for his suggestion that convicted murderers have their cells furnished with lengths of rope so they could do the right thing and remove themselves from society permanently.

M Boisvenu told Canadian Press, "The comments I got from 500 people, maybe even 600, said the media are exaggerating this. Also, these people are saying, ‘What Mr. Boisvenu said, that’s just what people think.’ The people who wrote to me, the majority are victims."

Walt awaits the senator's explanation of how murder victims could take pen in hand -- or keyboard, whatever -- to write, but perhaps something got lost in the translation there.

Something that people should know, before they rush to condemn M Boisvenu as some kind of right-wingnut is that he was a prominent victims’ rights advocate whose own daughter was murdered, and who lost another daughter in a car accident. Even so, the senator has advocated capital punishment only in cases where there is no hope of rehabilitation.

If you wish to express your support... or your revulsion... click here to e-mail Senator Boisvenu.

My own view on the matter of capital punishment is that of the Church, which reminds us that Exodus 20:13 has not been repealed. That said, if someone who has killed others -- especially members of his or her own family -- should ask for a dollar to buy a piece of rope, I would be at the head of the line to donate.