I left my heart in Norway.

I like the temperament of many Norwegians. In Norway, they don’t execute anyone. No matter how heinous the crime.  Because Norwegians are against killing, period. Doesn’t matter if one is a coldblooded murderer. Executing him is still wrong. That’s a principle I can live by. And thankfully, a principle being adopted by an increasing number of so-called ‘liberal’ countries. But also supported by many ‘conservative’ Catholics. Including the pope, himself. I have no qualms about drawing lines. One either makes killing totally wrong. Or allows killing willy-nilly.  Which means it’s all right when the killing is sanctioned by government.  Such as the state of Texas. But if one commits murder in Massachusetts – there’s no capital punishment. Unless the federal government steps in. And foists it’s way. Which allows for execution.  For more killing. That’s why we have lax gun laws. We Americans generally feel that it’s all right to kill.  That it’s an inalienable right to own a gun. Usually for the purpose of killing something or someone. We protect ourselves from killers by killing. Each other. And ourselves. With our precious guns. Just about everybody in sight. But I exaggerate. It’s only about 30,000 gun deaths every year. That’s a relatively negligible number. Unless you are a Norwegian. Then even one death is one death too many. Anyway, I may be an American. Technically, speaking, that is. But my heart is in Norway. –Jim Broede