State Sen. Alan Lasee, R-De Pere, has made it his annual contribution to the legislative docket, but this year's planned introduction of death penalty legislation is decidedly more ceremonious than in the past.

In the wake of one of Wisconsin's most publicized trials to date and just months after the state of Wisconsin voiced its support for the introduction of the death penalty into the state's retributive arsenal, Sen. Lasee is hoping to capitalize off the state's fear and apparent thirst for tougher punishment.

Despite the fact that most legislative minds, including Mr. Lasee, believe the measure is likely doomed to fail, according to the Wisconsin Radio Network, Lasee's introduction still plays politics with justice — a game that is as unethical as it is impossible to win.

When word came out that Steven Avery had been charged with murder, I, along with the rest of the state, was admittedly shocked. Avery, who was once released from prison after the Wisconsin Innocence Project helped to show he was falsely convicted of rape, was suddenly fingered for the death of a woman just a few short years later.

The setback for the UW-based Innocence Project has been significant, if only in public perception, most notably because of the heinousness of the crime and because of Avery's character and demeanor, which led many to question Avery's innocence of both this and the previous crime. Avery's gruff appearance and crass demeanor won him few allies in the Fox River Valley where he is from and was charged, and Sen. Lasee just so happens to represent part of that region. Knowing the trial's verdict was imminent and hoping to realize a lifelong ambition to execute Wisconsin's criminals, Mr. Lasee successfully placed the death penalty advisory referendum on this past November's ballot.

By playing politics with the fears of Wisconsin's citizens, Lasee's referendum passed with 55 percent of the vote, giving democratic weight to Lasee's annual call. However, by doing this, he has contributed to a greater problem in politics, where people are convinced not through reason, but fear and anger.

Steven Avery is an easy person to dislike. He comes off in a manner that screams "criminal," and given the recent trial verdict, perhaps that assessment of Avery's character rings true. However, even though Avery has been the subject of much scorn in the media, the real purpose of Lasee introducing the death penalty is not to target Avery and protect Wisconsinites — rather, it is to realize his lifelong ambition and punish future criminals in an incredibly severe fashion.

While many politicians play the game of using big events to help fuel legislation, few bills are as significant as the institution of the death penalty. In the balance is not simple dollars and cents, but rather the lives of people who, as the Innocence Project has shown, are sometimes innocent of these crimes.

However, Sen. Lasee sings a different tune, claiming his purpose in proposing this legislation is out of "duty," according to the Wisconsin Radio Network. Whom exactly this duty is to is unknown, but Lasee's introduction of this bill hardly looks like the actions of a principled man, rather a desperate one. Lasee's actions are fundamentally no different from introducing constitutionally threatening legislation in the wake of a terrorist attack, as he is playing with the emotions of Wisconsinites to further his own version of justice.

Simply put, the actions of our politicians must rely upon greater forms of logic and reasoning, congruent with our social, political and legal traditions or else the legislation and societal change that these actors so desire to see to fruition will be bankrupted by emotions that prove fleeting in the eyes of actual reason.

Lasee's introduction of the death penalty falls short of this standard, which will give credence to a different call from Wisconsinites: for reason.

Robert Phansalkar ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in languages and cultures of Asia and political science.