My point is that not all killing is the same.
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Do you believe in the death penalty?
- Thread starter Spiderman
- Start date
I agree.
I oppose it because the 'justice' system is fraught with injustice & error.
But for heinous crimes where we're certain of the perp's guilt, I'm OK with a public display of neck stretching.
I oppose electrocution & lethal injection because they're too unreliable.
The firing squad is quick, painless & sure.
And the right to pull the trigger can be auctioned off to the highest bidder as a revenue source.
That is an amazingly interesting suggestion. Is it your idea?
siti
Well-Known Member
Yes, why not? It used to be very popular...as were witch dunking and burning at the stake...why not bring them all back?
Look at the picture and tell me how it does not?
Uh, I'm not one of the ones proposing making a depraved spectacle out of it. Go ask them that.
siti
Well-Known Member
Yeah - but the idea of giving depraved killers a taste of their own medicine is obviously very appealing to many...I am sometimes very sad when I consider the level of humanity of humanity
I'm basing my position on two things:
1) In a free society, laws must be justified, and their positive effect has to outweigh any negative impact.
2) Criminal punishments have a few recognized objectives that aren't satisfied by the death penalty.
Expanding on that second point a bit, here are the four objectives of punishment that were presented to my class and I by my criminal law prof:
- specific deterrence: stop the offender from committing the crime again.
- general deterrence: use the offender as an example in order to prevent other people from committing the crime.
- inculcation: make a declaration that the crime is wrong, and by the relative severity of the sentence, how wrong it is relative to other crimes.
- rehabilitation: educate/treat/etc. the criminal in order to redirect him or her to a non-criminal life upon release.
Going from life in prison to the death penalty:
- you do nothing for specific deterrrence. The criminal's already in custody.
- you do nothing for general deterrence. Study after study have shown that the death penalty doesn't work as a deterrent.
- you do nothing for inculcation. Whatever your maximum punishment is, handing down the maximum sentence communicates "this is as wrong as it gets."
- you do nothing for rehabilitation, obviously.
Now... there's nothing stopping you from wanting to live in a society that isn't free, so to that extent, we can disagree. But if you think something else should be on the list of objectives for punishment, say what it is and then we can discuss it.
Sometimes I think those wishing to keep the death penalty should have to watch it. There would be less of a disconnect if they had to. Same too with slaughterhouses, and meat. There is too much disconnect in our society. Booze ads should have as much time spent on people vomiting, drunk driving, and beating their families as on happy pretty girls partying.
We spend a lot of money on keeping people disconnected from reality. But it's true of good things too, like gardens growing, loving parents keeping their kids happy.
Sorry for the rant.
We spend a lot of money on keeping people disconnected from reality. But it's true of good things too, like gardens growing, loving parents keeping their kids happy.
Sorry for the rant.
No...I stole it from some guy named Revoltingest.
He's been suggesting it here for years.
I've seen many videos of people getting killed and animals being slaughtered for food.
I'm willing to pull the trigger or swing the ax.
I've seen it live. Not people, just animals.
Good for you though. Not all people have. I had an uncle who seemed to revel in butchering. Always seemed odd to me.
Well, again, I'm not one of the ones proposing torturing them or making a spectacle out of it.Yeah - but the idea of giving depraved killers a taste of their own medicine is obviously very appealing to many...I am sometimes very sad when I consider the level of humanity of humanity
In your little country you probably already do. Have a nice chat with the guy beforehand though. Ask him where he grew up, what his childhood was like, you know, the good ol' days.
I don't think I'd get much pleasure out of it. I'd kill an animal for food but I'd do it as quickly and painlessly as I could and make sure to be as grateful as possible to their spirit. Personally, I think some forms of slaughter are simply disgusting. But that's another topic. I agree with you that most people are too sheltered from reality.
I was thinking of trying to sell him (or her) extended warranties on things.
You'd probably sell him (or her) some antique machinery, and put it in fine print "In case of sudden death, all merchandise shall be returned to the seller."