How Summer 2020 Paved the Way

How Summer 2020 Paved the Way

Lucy Conlin

COVID-19 updates seemed to be what was taking over the news. The virus was spiking. People were healthy one day and dead the next. To no surprise, it was all anybody could talk about. I had been out of school for two months at this point. My graduation was canceled, my lacrosse season was canceled, it seem like as each day went by another ‘significant moment’ in my high school career as a senior when down the drain. Days went by with the same news every day. I felt like I was drowning.

    All of a sudden a new story quickly attracted the eye of the public. The murder of George Floyd. The summer was quickly approaching and the virus was just as rampant as before. I had heavily involved myself in the updates from the emerging stories coming from not only the news, but all forms of social media. I kept myself updated through Facebook groups and Instagram pages informing people about protests occurring in the greater Boston area. The conversations consisted of how people can take action during a highly contagious pandemic, clear issues with the United States justice system becoming more and more apparent, and the responsibilities of the people to stand up for the lives of arguably the most oppressed group in America. Was it justified to congregate in groups, inhibiting a highly risky situation of spreading an already widely spread pandemic? Would masks be enough? Would anything change if we stayed quarantined in our homes and let the proven pro-white American justice system run its course, and let another racially motivated murderer off with a warning? These questions created a further divide between the left and the right wings of the United States political parties. I had always identified as a democrat. My parents were never noticeably active in politics, and didnt necessarily transfer their ideas over to me. However, they did make it known that they were very against Donald Trump being elected and the repercussions that would come from that decision.

I began to attend every protest I could. I would reach out to every friend, acquaintance, neighbor, and basically anybody I could think of in order to influence those around to get involved. I got a severe lack of enthusiasm in response to my efforts. It felt like I was the only one who cared enough to participate in such an important event. Regardless of the responses of my peers, I ensured that I would be standing there shouting. Protesting for change.

Tensions in my home rose as day after day went by and my family argued about the ethics of the protests. My brothers fought against me with arguments in support of police officers. My parents had a lack of response to this, which I was appalled by. How could they watch my younger siblings be so uneducated and not inform them of what really goes on behind the scenes of interrogation rooms and prison walls?

Protests became increasingly covered on the news. Riots broke out, numbers increased, people in power showed support in the fight for justice. The match had been lit, the fire was starting.

Pressure against the Minneapolis police department increased. Video footage of the horrifying murder of George Floyd was on every social media platform. Four officers had been arrested, but the fight had just begun.

Parkland Penalty

By Isabella Joslin

    On February 14th, 2018, 19 year old Nikolas Cruz murdered 17 people and injured 17 more at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. This mass murder is the deadliest mass school shooting in history, and prompted the increased support for gun regulation laws nationwide. Cruz had been indicted on 34 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted first-degree murder on March 7, 2018. The prosecution team immediately made aware their intent to seek the death penalty, and as a result, Cruz chose to plead not guilty to all charges. The trail was delayed for several reasons, but ultimately the death penalty trial resumed in 2022. Cruz was condemned to life in prison without the possibility of parole on October 13, 2022. While the jury concluded that the prosecution had demonstrated the aggravating circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt on all counts, they were divided on whether the aggravating factors exceeded the mitigating factors. Almost every one of the deceased victims' families voiced outrage and dismay at the decision, arguing that he deserved the death penalty. Family members of the victims had the opportunity to speak in court after the decision. 

“I am broken and altered, and I will never look at the world the same way again.” (Stacey Lippel)

“You were given a gift, a gift of grace and mercy, something you did not show to any of your victims.” (Debra Hixon)

“Parkland murderer, I hope your maker sends you directly to hell to burn for the rest of your eternity.” (David Robinovitz)

The decision made by the jury to not implement the death penalty shocked the nation. As I watched the families make their statements, their faces painted with pain and heartache, I felt an overwhelming sense of injustice and anger. I am unable to imagine the grief and sorrow they face everyday, and the suffering they will continue to face for the rest of their lives. There is no punishment in the world that could erase or make-up for the tragedy that Cruz has inflicted on them, but in my eyes a death sentence seems just for the evil and heinous crimes that were committed. 

I have always battled with the notion of the death penalty. On what grounds, is the state's intentional execution of offenders a morally acceptable punishment to deliberate criminal activity? I always believed that permanent institutionalization was adequate, as it would allow for rehabilitation and the integration of people back into a functioning society, which to me was always the goal of the justice system. Justice did not appear to be about vengeance- justice appeared to be about restitution and co-existion. The death penalty clearly violates the human right to life, yet so does the inhumane execution of 17 school children. The families of the victims have to live knowing that their loved ones’ killer gets to live, eat, sleep, and breathe while their loved ones do not. There is no action that anyone can take that would reverse or subside their pain. I don’t believe the death penalty should be abolished based on the cruel and inhumane nature of it, but I also don’t believe that “an eye for an eye” truly helps anyone cope or seek justice. Ultimately, capital punishment produces moral dilemmas that drive us to adhere wholeheartedly to the conservation of human life, despite of deeper philosophical and intellectual considerations. I will never be able to fully comprehend the action of planned executions, but I will also never be able to fully comprehend the suffering of those who had their loved ones taken from them out of pure evil and violence. 

(Modeled off of Didion and Herr)