CLOSURE?

The emotional buzz-word supporting the execution of criminals convicted of capital crimes is "closure," in the sense that the families of the victims cannot find "peace" until the perpetrator is dead.

Texas has recently given us a twist on this theme:  the "closure" sought by a victim is rejected in favor of execution.  Why is this?  Whose "justice" is being sacrificed?  What kinds of "rehabilitation" are being rejected?  Why are forgiveness and reconciliation and conversion less important than what might fairly be seen (rightly or wrongly) as state-sanctioned blood lust? 

If the survivor of this rampage was able to find peace and closure through forgiveness, in fact producing in the criminal a seeming change of heart, opening them to the possibility of reconciliation:  what is there left for the State to do, to ensure "justice"?

We are better than this...