By Twink Jones Gadama
The recent execution of James Dennis Ford, a 64-year-old Florida man convicted of killing a couple in 1997, has raised eyebrows and sparked outrage over the double standards applied to capital punishment in the US and Africa.
While African countries are constantly urged to abolish the death penalty, the US continues to carry out executions, with Ford’s being the first in Florida this year.
Ford’s execution was carried out despite concerns over the fairness of his trial and the possibility of racial bias in the application of the death penalty.
According to the Equal Justice Initiative, people of color are more likely to be prosecuted for capital murder, sentenced to death, and executed, especially if the victim is white.
This raises serious questions about the impartiality of the US justice system and its willingness to confront the systemic inequalities that perpetuate racial bias.
The silence of human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch on Ford’s execution is deafening.
These organizations are quick to condemn executions in African countries, but seem to turn a blind eye when it comes to the US.
This double standard is not only hypocritical but also undermines the credibility of these organizations and their ability to advocate for human rights globally.
The US government’s own stance on capital punishment is also contradictory.
On one hand, it advocates for the abolition of the death penalty in other countries, citing its commitment to human rights and the dignity of human life.
On the other hand, it continues to carry out executions in its own states, often in the face of widespread opposition and concerns about the fairness of the trial process.
This hypocrisy is glaring. Is execution correct when carried out in American states and wrong in Africa? The answer is clear: capital punishment is a violation of human rights, regardless of where it is carried out.
The US should take a long, hard look at its own human rights record and reconsider its use of capital punishment.
In the words of the Equal Justice Initiative, “the question we need to ask about the death penalty in America is not whether someone deserves to die for a crime. The question is whether we deserve to kill”.
This is a question that the US government and its citizens must confront if they are to truly uphold the values of human rights and dignity that they claim to cherish.
The execution of James Dennis Ford is a stark reminder of the need for consistency and integrity in the application of human rights principles.
It is time for the US to re-examine its use of capital punishment and to recognize that the death penalty is a violation of human rights, regardless of where it is carried out.
As the international community continues to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty, it is imperative that the US takes a leading role in this effort.
This requires not only advocating for the abolition of the death penalty in other countries but also taking concrete steps to abolish it in its own states.
The execution of James Dennis Ford is a tragic reminder of the need for urgent action to end the use of capital punishment in the US.
It is time for the US to join the growing list of countries that have abolished the death penalty and to uphold the values of human rights and dignity that it claims to cherish.
