“It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."--Voltaire (1694-1778) A government that claims the authority to kill persons after they have been subdued, disarmed, tried, convicted and confined in prison has made a startling claim about the nature of political power. It claims not merely the authority to protect the innocent from violence, but the authority to inflict violence when no immediate threat exists. It...






















