We may feel that someone should die for the crimes they committed, but that does not mean we should kill. As we value the life of embryos, we must consider how other innocent lives are taken every year and reconsider the true cost of the death penalty.

Because of the rhetoric surrounding the “War on Drugs,” drug policing efforts are focused on communities of color. This focal point leads to disparate convictions, which then falsely confirms the racial stereotypes that people of color are more likely to use drugs or commit crimes. 

As we can see prisons all around Maine — and everywhere for that matter — need to offer programs to better serve the mental health needs of those in prison, so people have a better chance of staying out when they are released. It has been proven time and time again that when those who are incarcerated have programs to help better themselves, they have a lower probability of recidivism.

By addressing only part of the prison population and excluding violent crimes in prison reforms, an unfair divide is being created. In order to fix the system, all of the components need to be fully addressed. Ultimately, how we classify violent crime needs to be reevaluated and addressed as a necessary step in prison reform. 

Everyone has a story to tell and everyone deserves the right to equal justice. It is not about who has it worse, but rather that no matter one’s race or ethnicity, all deserve to be treated justly and humanly. 

It is impossible for an individual to feel welcomed and safe in a new society knowing that some people in the position of protecting them are actually against their well-being. There has to be a way to treat those who flee from persecution and unsafe situations, rather than to send them back to what they initially escaped. 

It is important to take a look at how the media has the disturbing power to impact the livelihood of an entire country just by abusing the meaning of one word. Freedom has been turned into a weapon for selfishness and division instead of a call for unity and equality. This should not be ignored as we continue to march toward an irreversible rift in this country. 

These people are already doing time for their crimes. Do they really deserve to have their lives put at risk by a preventable illness?