amy- Decalogue #5

I think the idea of the death penalty creates extreme reactions in everyone’s minds. It is the same concept as war. There are extremists on both ends and it creates the same situation as two rams going head to head. Kieslowski approaches the question from the perspective of a young man going out and murdering a taxi driver. The storyline presents the young man as a disturbed individual dealing with the fact of his friend killing his younger sister. It also presents those in government as cold, unyielding individuals ready for a fight.
I understand the question Kieslowski attempts to extract. Why must we destroy two lives, when one may be reformed and changed? Kieslowski seems like he wishes to adhere completely to the Seventh Commandment, despite his other ethical dilemmas in the other commandments. The death penalty is a hard topic, which I think care needs to be taking when enacting such a serious punishment. I cannot say that I am completely against the death penalty though. When a man goes out and kills dozens of random strangers and society gives him the “punishment” of three or four life sentences, I think it is absurdity. A man cannot serve three life sentences and most of the time, in the law system, this is a mere attempt to keep such evil in the prison for life.
This topic could be argued forever to no conclusion, but Kieslowski’s film contrasts the different thoughts on such a punishment. Thinking on such topics is important. Even more important for humanity is knowing what it believes in and why.