Don't Blame Stupid

So...

Teresa Lewis was executed today by the State of Virginia. Those protesting against the death sentence cited her low IQ as a contributing factor in her defense.

I call BS on this.

The law must be blind. It has to apply equally to anyone regardless of status: men or women, Christian or Muslim and the intelligent and the stupid.  The law cannot be applied only to the intelligent.

If the argument sticks that you are too stupid to know any better, then its implications can be far reaching.

What is the cut off point for stupid?  If you have a good day on an IQ test and get 72, you're culpable and frying tonight. You have an average day and get 69, then good for you, you're staying alive.

If you are too stupid to be killed by the State, what other implications are there?  Can a low IQ person enlist? Can a low IQ person own a gun?  Drive? Vote?  If they can, should we not be taking these rights away?  They are clearly unreasonable and do not know the difference between right and wrong and cannot be trusted with these things.

And yet we allow them to operate in these arenas. Because they are citizens. They have equal rights with the rest of us.  If we stop allowing low IQ people to function as citizens and talk about "protecting" those too stupid to know better, we are essentially taking away their responsibilities as a human.

So, if a person is low in intelligence should they still have a place in society?  Should not low IQ people be removed for our protection?  As they know no reason and can't be trusted to know the difference between right and wrong, then they are clearly time-bombs ready to kill at the drop of a cliche. They should all be rounded up, have their rights removed and locked up.

That's the conclusion that we must draw if we accept the argument that people cannot be held responsible for their actions if they are not too smart.

Citizenship is essentially about the rights and responsibilities of the individual in a society. It is not a shopping basket to pick and choose as we please. We're in or we're out. There is no in between. If you're fit for society, then you're in - all in - and you must be subjected to all the rules and laws as everyone else is. If the law provides exceptions, then that law is not just and equitable and should be removed.

If you are convicted of a murder in a society that has the death penalty for murder then you risk being executed by the state. Teresa Lewis broke the law and had to face the commensurate punishment for that crime. Under a democratic and equal society, she had to die.