Death Penalty
This is from a comment that I put on Theory of Thought's blog.
Yes, I have no problem with people who are being executed feeling some pain. However, I think we should go back to public, daylight executions, if we are going to keep doing them. If you are using execution as a deterrent, why hide it? You could have firing squads, or public hangings, or guillotines. Or maybe gladiatorial games, a la The Running Man. It's so hypocritical to be pro-death penalty, and then take such measures to hide the execution.
I've tended to be pro-death penalty, myself, because there are some people out there who really are so vile that they are never going to see the light of day again, and they have done some things so terrible that that should die for them. The only problem is determining who they are and getting it right.
You hear about a case where some 18 year old broke into a convienience store and got surprised by the owner and shot and killed him, and, then, 30 years later, he's being put to death. That's crazy. You shouldn't be killed just because you screwed up and that happened to cost someone else his life.
Now, what is someone is a serial murderer who has been kidnapping 12 year old boys and girls from a town and torturing and raping and killing them, for 15 years, having killed several hundred? I think most would agree that this person shouldn't be allowed to live.
Where's the middle ground?
The other big problem is that our legal system sometimes convicts innocent people, as is proven years later by new evidence. If you kill the innocents, are you any better than the criminals?
And then, there's the appeal after appeal, for years and years. Why am I paying tax dollars so that a serial murder can sit in prison and eat and live, dragging out his case to keep himself alive a few more years? But, then we are back to the not convicting innocents again.
I guess the whole legal system needs to refined to take less time, but not get the wrong people.
So, should we be against the death penalty because it can end up killing innocents? I don't know, but I do know that I'm for killing those who are guilty of the most heinous crimes.
Yes, I have no problem with people who are being executed feeling some pain. However, I think we should go back to public, daylight executions, if we are going to keep doing them. If you are using execution as a deterrent, why hide it? You could have firing squads, or public hangings, or guillotines. Or maybe gladiatorial games, a la The Running Man. It's so hypocritical to be pro-death penalty, and then take such measures to hide the execution.
I've tended to be pro-death penalty, myself, because there are some people out there who really are so vile that they are never going to see the light of day again, and they have done some things so terrible that that should die for them. The only problem is determining who they are and getting it right.
You hear about a case where some 18 year old broke into a convienience store and got surprised by the owner and shot and killed him, and, then, 30 years later, he's being put to death. That's crazy. You shouldn't be killed just because you screwed up and that happened to cost someone else his life.
Now, what is someone is a serial murderer who has been kidnapping 12 year old boys and girls from a town and torturing and raping and killing them, for 15 years, having killed several hundred? I think most would agree that this person shouldn't be allowed to live.
Where's the middle ground?
The other big problem is that our legal system sometimes convicts innocent people, as is proven years later by new evidence. If you kill the innocents, are you any better than the criminals?
And then, there's the appeal after appeal, for years and years. Why am I paying tax dollars so that a serial murder can sit in prison and eat and live, dragging out his case to keep himself alive a few more years? But, then we are back to the not convicting innocents again.
I guess the whole legal system needs to refined to take less time, but not get the wrong people.
So, should we be against the death penalty because it can end up killing innocents? I don't know, but I do know that I'm for killing those who are guilty of the most heinous crimes.
posted by Jamie at 11:47 AM
9 Comments:
I agree with your last statement. I don't know how we should deal with the innocent issue though, because there's way too much room for error.
Hey Jamie,
It's a tough one. In Texas, we used to have the big deathhouse and even executed mentally challenged people. I'm not sure what I think because of the cost of killing someone as opposed to keeping them locked away.
I am still torn on this subject. I have lots of pros and cons to deal with. But I don't think I would ever want to see someone get killed. No matter what crime they committed.
I agree in general -- if there're to be state executions, make 'em public like the Romans. Otherwise, fahget about it. Best solution would be permanent imprisonment for those who clearly menace society. On the Moon, perhaps.
Merry Christmas, Monisuer Jamie! And three cheers for James Brown!
Hmm, yes, it's a subject that you can spend a lot of thinking about. I don't really think that someone should get killed, especially for murder. This is because the government is saying "Killing is wrong", but then punish the offender by killing them. It's a bit ironic. Some people, however, will only respond to violence and will only realise they have done wrong through the death penalty. Anyway, it's something to think about.
Happy new year! I hope you had a very good Christmas.
Helen
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!
The problem with the death penalty is the racial imbalance of it all.
I believe the death penalty is a must for murders and sexual predadors but other than that there should be no executions. Plus make them pay hang them like they did in the old days in front of a crowd they need to see what happens when you go against the law I think people have been forgeting
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