Share your opinions on the death penalty. Yea or nay?





Personally, I don't think that it accomplishes anything. In my opinion, leaving someone in a cell for the rest of their life provides much less of an "escape" than death.

I don't see how the death penalty is good for anyone. If it's for the person who committed whatever crime it was, then death is an exit. If it's to provide a sense of justice for the family of whoever the victim was, then that's rather sadistic.

A death row inmate was asked why he shouldn't be put to death, and responded "because you're better than me." I always liked that. I hope he didn't die too painfully.

_{(I couldn't find a source for the quote in my brief search, but it's beside the point, anyway)}

i think that for the death penalty to be effective, the spectacle of the execution should be televised and the population forced to watch. It goes from being a distant, abstract concept to being a real deterrent to crime.

Posted by Samurai a real deterrent to crime.

No such thing

Posted by Samurai i think that for the death penalty to be effective, the spectacle of the execution should be televised and the population forced to watch. It goes from being a distant, abstract concept to being a real deterrent to crime.

Executions were public for millenia, and that never deterred anyone.

The way I look at it, there are two ways of looking at the death penalty (at least in the US). There is the death penalty as it is now, and then there is the concept of executions in general. I think even the most die-hard advocates for the death penalty find it had to defend as it is now. It is well known that it is disproportionately applied to racial minorites and the poor, and that prosecutors are generally more interested in winning a conviction than actually finding the person who committed the crime in question. Also, there may be a deterrent in pre-meditated murders, but most homicides are not pre-meditated; they are committed in the heat of the moment: a robbery gone wrong, a lovers' quarrel that got out of hand, etc. Again, the death penalty as it is applied in the US today is almost impossible to defend.

But what of the concept of executions? Assuming it was incontrovertibly proven that someone has committed a murder. Is it OK to execute him? I would argue no. Putting aside the barbarity of it, and the fact that no other industrialized Western nation executes people (and they all have far lower crime rates than the US), there are good reasons why executions are wrong. From a Christian perspective, the condemned are allowed access to clergy, where they have the chance for absolution and are thus able to enter Heaven after death. So they are forgiven and can spend eternity in Paradise. From an atheist perspective (which would include me) once you're dead, that's the end. There is no consciousness that survives death, so any guilt or remorse you felt is over. Either way, you're off the hook.

Personally, I would much rather see a murderer rot in jail for the rest of his life, sitting in a 6x10-foot cell and being someone's bitch.

Posted by splumer There is no consciousness that survives death, so any guilt or remorse you felt is over. Either way, you're off the hook. Personally, I would much rather see a murderer rot in jail for the rest of his life, sitting in a 6x10-foot cell and being someone's bitch.

You said it best.

Ok... you guys are right, but who wants to keep paying to warehouse the scum of the earth?

Posted by Samurai Ok... you guys are right, but who wants to keep paying to warehouse the scum of the earth?

That is a grating thought, of course, but the thought occurs that even where the death penalty is dished out, only a handful of people are executed, and the difference in cost of imprisoning those people instead is insignificant next to the cost of the greater prison population.

Posted by metawaffle That is a grating thought, of course, but the thought occurs that even where the death penalty is dished out, only a handful of people are executed, and the difference in cost of imprisoning those people instead is insignificant next to the cost of the greater prison population.

Indeed. And the number of murderers in prison pales in comparison to those in for drug offenses. Rethinking the drug war would free up money to house those who are truly dangerous. There are other options, too. Angola State Prison in Louisiana produces all their own food, and actually sells the excess. Very little state money goes to support the prison.

It also seems a little barbaric to use cost as a justification for executions.

Posted by splumer Indeed. And the number of murderers in prison pales in comparison to those in for drug offenses. Rethinking the drug war would free up money to house those who are truly dangerous. There are other options, too. Angola State Prison in Louisiana produces all their own food, and actually sells the excess. Very little state money goes to support the prison. It also seems a little barbaric to use cost as a justification for executions.

would any of you say that there are some situations where the death penalty IS acceptable?

I don't think so. I can't imagine any situation where it would be.

Posted by Samurai would any of you say that there are some situations where the death penalty IS acceptable?

No. As far as I'm concerned, it's always barbaric and never necessary.

As a thought experiment, I put myself in the shoes of the executioner, since really, if you're going to support the death penalty as reasonable, you'd have to be prepared to be involved and bear some responsibility, right?

...and, I can't imagine any justification which could make it bearable to explain it to my kids.

Posted by metawaffle As a thought experiment, I put myself in the shoes of the executioner, since really, if you're going to support the death penalty as reasonable, you'd have to be prepared to be involved and bear some responsibility, right? ...and, I can't imagine any justification which could make it bearable to explain it to my kids.

Unless it happened to your other kid or loved one. As a Pavlovian Catholic and supposedly learned type, I have to respond with "forgiveness" when it comes to capital punishment. However, as a human being of fragile psyche, I would want motherfucking vengeance and would be willing to administer it myself. Doesn't make it right but it's the truth. Official line: anything more than 20 years in prison is cruel and unusual punishment, especially for people under 18.

Posted by G to the Race Unless it happened to your other kid or loved one.

It really wouldn't be appropriate for me to be involved if it was my kid or loved one. Justice isn't about revenge.

_{^{It's about economics.}}

Posted by metawaffle It really wouldn't be appropriate for me to be involved if it was my kid or loved one. Justice isn't about revenge. It's about economics.

Sad but true? Wisdom? A true glimpse @ American "justice"? All of the above.

Posted by Samurai Ok... you guys are right, but who wants to keep paying to warehouse the scum of the earth?

It varies per state, but death penalty defense trials tend to cost more than the average prison sentence the perp would otherwise face.

Posted by Samurai would any of you say that there are some situations where the death penalty IS acceptable?

No, for the reasons I have already stated.

with this all stated, would you accept this as truth:

laws are for the poor
justice is for the rich

Posted by Samurai with this all stated, would you accept this as truth: laws are for the poor justice is for the rich

Hell no.


Privileged exploitation is for the rich.