Death penalty

[Solitary]

This assumes people have a choice in their behavior, and are not driven by animal impulses, or insanity. And that our system of justice is not corrupted by politics, and human prejudice and bigotry. People that commit most horrendous crimes think they are justified for what they do just like you do. Every soldier on each side of a war, well almost, is convince it is justified to kill to protect themselves or their country, even when they invade another country. We're talking about a moral issue and our humanity, not the urge to kill for protection. There is no doubt a dead person can't hurt anyone, but how does that make us any different when we kill them for the same reason they do what they do, believing it is justified also? Believe me I know what you mean. I had a close friend that was murdered, and the person that did it got away with it, and spent time in a mental hospital while Psychologists and psychiatrist decided he would not do it again and let him out free as a bird.. Solitary

[KUSA]

This is true, but how can you be so sure they are always guilty. Putting them in prison for life with no parole prevents them from doing it again if it wasn't a fact that if they have a lot of money and can afford lawyers like OJ had they can do it again.  Solitary

I think the evidence has to be there to justify the death penalty but assuming it is there I am in favor of it. 

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Dirty little secret of how criminal "justice" works for people on death row who are convicted on real shakey evidence or no evidence, they change death sentences to life in prison to stop appeals with the knowledge a lot of innocent people will never go free.

[Maldini]

I have no problem with death penalty for murderers. You have taken yourself out as a civilian by killing another person, so when society gets a hold of you, it's only just that the same thing happens to you.

Punishments are usually meant as a prevention for upcoming crimes, and justice for victims. You shouldn't make killing affordable.

I know it's sounds harsh, but if there was a magical way for murdered people to come back for 5 seconds, I'm sure 99 percent would want their murderers killed.

[Mermaid]

I have no problem with death penalty for murderers. You have taken yourself out as a civilian by killing another person, so when society gets a hold of you, it's only just that the same thing happens to you.

Punishments are usually meant as a prevention for upcoming crimes, and justice for victims. You shouldn't make killing affordable.

I know it's sounds harsh, but if there was a magical way for murdered people to come back for 5 seconds, I'm sure 99 percent would want their murderers killed.

There is a vast difference between what people want and what is morally and ethically right. Of course I'd like to get a murderer in a room with a baseball bat and exact my revenge on them. That doesn't mean I should have the right to do it.

[Shiranu]

... it's only just that the same thing happens to you.

You mistake revenge for justice.

The law should never become about revenge; the government should never condone actions done because of hatred lest it become a tool of hatred itself.

What difference is there between killing someone in revenge (anger) and killing someone in a fit of passion or a crime (anger)? The only difference is we can try and justify it, try and say, "Well... people agree with me, so it is obviously okay to kill! He DESERVED to die". When we do that, we become no better than the murderer themselves who will say the exact same thing about their actions. Revenge is a fit of passion just the same as the murderer felt.

And yes, I am consistent on this; I don't believe Hitler, Stalin, Brevik, the Tsarnev's and so on deserved (or deserve to) die just because they were "evil". If they are subdued and no longer pose a threat then to kill them at that point is murder no different than what they committed.

[Moralnihilist]

Child molesters, women beaters, murderers, and those that victimize the elderly or infirm. Those are the people I believe deserve the death penalty.

[doorknob]

My personal opinion is that two wrongs don't make a right. If murder is wrong for the common man than murder is wrong for the government too. Death penalty is about revenge. It's a punishment meant to appease the families of the victims. Other wise it is unnecessary. Ending a murder's life will not undo the previous murder.


I know that personally it probably makes me a hypocrite since if some one killed my loved one I would probably love to hunt them down like a dog and torment them to death. But I have no right to do that no matter what the situation.

[KUSA]

My personal opinion is that two wrongs don't make a right. If murder is wrong for the common man than murder is wrong for the government too. Death penalty is about revenge. It's a punishment meant to appease the families of the victims. Other wise it is unnecessary. Ending a murder's life will not undo the previous murder.


I know that personally it probably makes me a hypocrite since if some one killed my loved one I would probably love to hunt them down like a dog and torment them to death. But I have no right to do that no matter what the situation.

It's not wrong or even murder if it's justified.

[doorknob]

Your sense of justice sounds a little like revenge to me. It's an eye for an eye thinking.

[Shiranu]

It's not wrong or even murder if it's justified.

Justified can mean many things to many different people, if justification is the only qualification then where do you draw the cutoff? And why should that cutoff be respected and not something more lax?

And are you saying that, if someone was to kill someone you care for but the court found them innocent, so you hunted them down and murdered them... you feel the law shouldn't punish you for that?

[AllPurposeAtheist]

My views on the death penalty varies, but I'm leaning more and more to opposition.  However, a fate worth than death is spending 60+ years locked up with the most violent people in our societies. I don't only look at it from one view. There are many things to think about,  many different lives to consider. Sometimes we overlook that often very young people are executed meaning that society believes that if you do X at 18 you're never going to change, will always want to do X even if you live locked in a cage to 120 years old. There is no chance you'll ever see the errors of your ways and even if you do that's just tough luck even long after all affected parties are long gone of old age themselves.
Suppose you're 18, get drunk one night, come home and catch your lover banging your best friend so you go into a fit of rage and kill them both. Now, suppose you're sentenced to consecutive life terms and further suppose you are in great health and with modern medicine you spend 120 years locked up for a crime committed over a century ago. In my view you ought to have the option, your own choice to end your life rather than a very long life with nobody but the worse people society has to offer. Now, society ought not have the right to commit murder for societal blood lust, but what about the offender?

[The Skeletal Atheist]

As long as it applies to each and every crime on the first offense. Traffic offense? Death. Jaywalking? Death. Smoking a little weed? Death.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

As long as it applies to each and every crime on the first offense. Traffic offense? Death. Jaywalking? Death. Smoking a little weed? Death.

You left out teh homodeath!

[The Skeletal Atheist]

You left out teh homodeath!

It's a liberal tyranny! Homosex and abortion are mandatory. In fact the only reason you can have heterosex is to have an abortion. Also the Bible is outlawed and everyone must prey to Allah.