Stable Strategies for Middle Management

No death Penalty, No Easter Bunny

Death penalty is not something people are used to hear or talk about, even though it is not far from our history as mankind. USA is the only country in the western world there still practices Death Penalty even though it has been forbidden in all the countries around them. A prisoner judged to death proximal waits in prison for 20-30 years for his penalty. In 2016 there were 2.902 prisoners convicted to Death Penalty according to the American Death Penalty Information Center.

No Death Penalty No Easter Bunny is written by Colin Cohen in 2003. The topic of the essay is clear as the title. Cohen comes with different statements for Death Penalty in a humoristic tone which are so outrageous that it is funny. The interesting thing about Cohen is he uses irony, humor and sarcasm to make his point clear and it works. It seems like the narrative is for Death Penalty but throughout sarcasm and humor, he shows that he is actually against Death penalty and even provokes the people who support the Death penalty.

The vibe throughout the whole essay has a sarcastic tone and that is something that allows the narrator to be critical against the death penalty and with those who votes for it, without making someone angry. Colin Cohen uses his humor by saying that without Death penalty there would be no Easter Bunny hiding eggs for the children. “The truth is that the death penalty lies at the foundation of Christian religion: and without such a policy, we would not only be without Christianity, but we would also be without Easter bunnies.” Cohen claims here in a humoristic way that because of the Jews death penalty against Jesus Christ and his risen from the dead, there will no more be Easter bunnies. This is a humoristic and sarcastic way to prove his point against the death penalty. He makes fun of people who argue for the death penalty by using the Incongruity theory which makes people laugh because this does not match reality and it is exaggerated. In the same time, he also uses The Relief Theory because he is talking about death which is a taboo which people do not normally talk about. Therefore, laughter also deals with shame by releasing nervous energy. And laughing at our taboos creates a distance, which makes us feel that we are in control.