Most Americans support the death penalty for human beings. Murderers who do unspeakable things are put to death. Murderers who have faces, parents, and sentient bodies. Murderers who, depending on who you talk to, possibly have souls.
Most Americans do not support the death penalty for corporations. Corporations that have been known to do unspeakable things to human beings. Corporations that do not have faces, parents, and sentient bodies. Corporations that, most people would agree, do not have souls.
So why not the possibility of the death penalty for corporations? Why not the death penalty for those who stand behind the corporate veil and use it to commit unspeakable crimes? In England there are such laws. Why not the lethal injection of a huge monetary penalty and bankruptcy to kill corporations found guilty and deserving of death? Indeed, should they not govern their behavior, all Americans, small businesses and families are susceptible to such penalties. Why do Americans tolerate allowing CEOs with billion dollar salaries to set up impregnable walls to protect their corporate monsters?
The tobacco lawyers and CEO’s cry that the record punitive damage award against them will bankrupt their industry. So what? Welcome to the real world of the rest of America. Life will go on, and before the ink on your obituary has dried, other corporations will have filled the current Tobacco Corporations’ shoes. I say death to the Tobacco Industry!
Loren M. Lambert © July 21, 2000
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