Death Penalty

Maestro Henri Temianka in his letter (Sept. 17) supported capital punishment upon the premise that thereby the costs of extended prison terms for convicts could then be spent on the arts.

Temianka, who for so long has given us such good music, is entitled to his opinion. But does he really think that the savings, if any, from broadened official state killing would be spent on the arts? The strongest official supporters of capital punishment overlap considerably with free market enthusiasts. They are largely the same people. They think, “if the arts don’t pay, then who needs them?” Forget it, Mr. Temianka, if you think that either opera or chamber symphonies would profit.

An atmosphere of broadened capital punishment will not add to culture, it will detract from it. It won’t be that we will listen to music more safely, or that our musicians will play more sweetly. We will get a coarsened body politic. Those who like to read or view accounts of executions perhaps will be thrilled, but others will realize that our darkest instincts, not our best ones, are fed by killing in our name.

DANIEL N. FOX

Pomona