The Editor, Sir:

At this point, the likely outcome of the debate over hanging is clear. Whether it is a genuine debate can be doubted, however. The 'argument' on one side is really the cry of deep anguish from those who have lost a child or other family member to a horrifying murder. It is a cry for the just penalty for the taking of life, a cry for vengeance. Divine sanction is taken from the Bible's apparent approval of the 3,000-years-ago practice of an eye for an eye.

The cry of pain must be appreciated. It must be valued for what it is. It is deep and long-borne suffering. The grieving among the poor for their losses over many years is real and it is hard, very hard, to bear. Toward, the murderers, understandably, there is profound anger. The result is a majority opinion for hanging them. And, this appears to be swaying many of our lawmakers.

Wave of popular feeling

Against this wave of popular feeling, the arguments of the other side, which I support, appear quite helpless, their reasonableness ignored:

The absence of evidence for the deterrent power of the death penalty, when in fact two-thirds of the world's nations are none the worse for having abolished it, as against the more backward Islamic law and leaders like George W. Bush as Governor of Texas.

That true justice seeks to restore health and life rather than to punish and that the restraints imposed by prison are not to punish but to protect society and, with the right conditions, to give prisoners a second chance.

That this was the message of Jesus to the adulterous woman condemned to die by stoning whose release he won - go and sin no more.

That it is the poor, including large numbers of innocent, who are targeted unfairly by capital punishment.

That rather than hanging, we should be pushing the proven deterrent, namely rapid detection and conviction, thereby speeding up improvements to our justice system and policing; killings by our police, the highest rate in the world, have had no deterrent effect at all, they only set an example of another kind of murder.

Just as likely to be little heard is the suggestion that popular anger should be directed as much against our governments (and ourselves as well) as against the murderers; against our governments for failing to put real deterrents in place; above all, for failing to check the process, the conditions, that are turning our young men into criminals.

What a pity, what a shame to our nation, if our lawmakers turn out themselves to be followers rather than leaders, 'politicians' rather than statesmen and women, taking the easy 'solution' rather than the 'hard job'!

I am, etc.,

HORACE LEVY