The death penalty is wrong and problematic on many levels, but the simplest is;
It is wrong because two wrongs don't make a right. Why is it called "murder" if an individual kills someone, and "justice" if the State kills them? Either is a murder, and neither is ethically sound. I will agree that some perpetrators have committed horrible acts and show no remorse - that doesn't give the State the right to be just as bloodthirsty. There are other, more ethical ways to punish offenders.
Humanity is supposed to be trying to move toward a less barbaric condition - one sure way to do that is to abolish the death penalty, world wide.
The death penalty is wrong and problematic on many levels, but the simplest is;
It is wrong because two wrongs don't make a right. Why is it called "murder" if an individual kills someone, and "justice" if the State kills them? Either is a murder, and neither is ethically sound. I will agree that some perpetrators have committed horrible acts and show no remorse - that doesn't give the State the right to be just as bloodthirsty. There are other, more ethical ways to punish offenders.
Humanity is supposed to be trying to move toward a less barbaric condition - one sure way to do that is to abolish the death penalty, world wide.
The state of texas killed another man tonight, Carlton Turner. At age 19, he killed his abusive father and his mother. He was a very troubled young man. I feel very sorry for the victims, for the family, and for Carlton Turner.
[QUOTE=pIrish;606085]Believe it or not, bubby, you've been wearing me down. I know I haven't been too active on these boards the last few months, but I have been keeping an eye on them and reading what you and others have to say. Your posts, your insight, and my thoughts outside of the site have started making me move away from being anti-death penalty under any circumstance to anti-death penalty in most circumstances. While I do think the death penalty is not the best option 99% of the time, I now feel that there are some rare circumstances where it is the best option. This has come about primarily because of you and your posts here.
Anyway, just thought I'd let you know. ;)[/QUOTE]
[COLOR="Green"]Thank you for your kind words.
I happen to be someone that simply wants real justice. That does not mean executing every murderer. There should only be a select few, rare cases when the DP should be utilized. It is because of these cases that I feel the DP should remain a viable option. I also believe that we are currently using it entirely too much & for the wrong reason. However, having said that, I still do not believe executions should be stopped. There should just be a much higher burden of proof. We are after all talking about taking a life. I would like to see the DP reserved for the Jerry Allards of the world. There was absolutely no question as to his guilt. This is who the DP penalty should be used for. Then perhaps, it would have the teeth it was intended to have.[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Magenta"]On another note. I have been away at Scout camp & will be leaving again on Saturday for another week. I should be able to check in again on the 17th between our next 2 weeks at camp. ( Our son is a Boy Scout that is volunteering at Cub Scout camp & I am as well. We just finished week 3 & have to more to go. )[/COLOR]
There is nothing easy about executing someone. Find one juror that has served on a capital case that says it was easy. However, sometimes it is simply justified. Do I think that we are overusing the DP? You betcha. I truly think that there needs to be a higher level of proof when we area considering the taking of another life. "Reasonable" doubt should not be the threshold. Beyond "ANY" doubt should be. Before you say it, Yes, I realize that is a very rare thing. It should be. The DP should only be used in rare cases when guilt is in no way in question.
Believe it or not, bubby, you've been wearing me down. I know I haven't been too active on these boards the last few months, but I have been keeping an eye on them and reading what you and others have to say. Your posts, your insight, and my thoughts outside of the site have started making me move away from being anti-death penalty under any circumstance to anti-death penalty in most circumstances. While I do think the death penalty is not the best option 99% of the time, I now feel that there are some rare circumstances where it is the best option. This has come about primarily because of you and your posts here.
[QUOTE=My Winter Storm;564076]To me, the death penalty solves nothing. It does not bring the victim back, nor does it help their family move on from their suffering. The saying 'An eye for an eye' is only applied to someone convicted of murder. This anology is not applied to convicted rapists - if it were, there would be outrage, over the violation of the accused's civil rights. However, no one complains when someone is sentenced to death. Is death really an appropriate punishment? Or is it taking the 'easy' way out?[/QUOTE]
[COLOR="RoyalBlue"]There is nothing easy about executing someone. Find one juror that has served on a capital case that says it was easy. However, sometimes it is simply justified. Do I think that we are overusing the DP? You betcha. I truly think that there needs to be a higher level of proof when we area considering the taking of another life. "Reasonable" doubt should not be the threshold. Beyond "ANY" doubt should be. Before you say it, Yes, I realize that is a very rare thing. It should be. The DP should only be used in rare cases when guilt is in no way in question. [/COLOR]
Interesting thread. I did no more than skim it as, well, I have a life.
I have a couple of points. First, my main problem with the death penalty is that it makes permissible for a government what would be impermissible for an individual. It is impermissible for a person to kill an individual, however dangerous, who is confined and incapable of endangering the innocent. This ought to hold true equally for me and a hangman working under the government aegis.
Secondly, if we are, as a political body, going to execute people, the executions ought to be public. If we, as a people, are going to kill someone, we, as a people, should have to face the reality of that. If we can't stomach the sight of the execution, then perhaps we oughtn't be performing them.
[QUOTE=faith713;506787]«Closure and healing begin not with the taking of the offender's life as vengeance, but with forgiveness, which leads to true peace. All people of good will can be inspired by Pope John Paul II's example of forgiveness toward Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turkish gunman who attempted to assassinate the Pope in 1981. Throughout Agca's 19 years in prison, the Pope made repeated appeals for clemency, and he applauded Agca's recent release to Turkish officials.»
-- Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua,
[COLOR="DarkGreen"]The Pope is being fast tracked for Sainthood too. That doesn't mean that the rest of us will ever be Sainted.And let us not forget that the Pope WAS NOT MURDERED! Even I do not think that someone that attempted to murder someone should be executed. As humans it is not always possible to forgive. That is part of what makes us imperfect. Should that mean that the DP be removed form the table altogether? I just don't think so. I think that it should be modified so as to make sure that there are no innocents executed, but I think that we should still execute those that kill an innocent in cold blood. [/COLOR]
«Closure and healing begin not with the taking of the offender's life as vengeance, but with forgiveness, which leads to true peace. All people of good will can be inspired by Pope John Paul II's example of forgiveness toward Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turkish gunman who attempted to assassinate the Pope in 1981. Throughout Agca's 19 years in prison, the Pope made repeated appeals for clemency, and he applauded Agca's recent release to Turkish officials.»
-- Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua,
[QUOTE=faith713;506738]“'Til the infallibility of human judgements shall have been proved to me, I shall demand the abolition of the penalty of death.”
Marquis De Sade[/QUOTE]
Or it could just be that watching them suffer got his rocks off. This is the Marquis De Sade speaking, the man who gave us the word Sadism, and the genre of pain as pornography. Taking your moral guidance from him is..............questionable.
