Death Penalty

by THE BRIGHTSIDE. Mon 12 Jan 2009, 5:47 pm

For or against?

Is the death penalty the most suitable sentence for the conviction of the most horrible of murderers, for example? In giving these sentences, is justice served? Is it the closest thing we can get to justice? Should the government have the right to take human life?

Personally, I am against it. How about you? Do you think it acts as a good deterrent? Do you think it is an ample punishment? Does it really depend on the crime?

by Jack Skellington Mon 12 Jan 2009, 7:15 pm

I'm against it. It's just saying "an eye for an eye". That's not doing crap about whatever he did.

STORY TIME.
In ancient Ireland, if you killed someone, you had to pay the family what the person was worth.

-good system-

The world today is too much "eye for an eye" and less actual justice.

by **LADIES AND GENTLEMEN** Mon 12 Jan 2009, 7:49 pm

Imho I think there is no reason for the death penalty, ever.

No, it doesn't make us just as bad as the killers, because we're not doing it for kicks or fun, but it makes us close because we still think it's okay.

But, that's not my main reasoning.

My dad works in the prison system - specifically, managing the teams that produce the various different systems that are used when placing prisoners in joint/group cells.

Even with this program, with the guards, with the penalties, the violence (gang violence, race crimes, rape, etc) in prisons is ridiculous.

Prisoners are treated terribly, and as far as I know (but I'll ask him later, he's currently singing a blues song that is, ironically, about being a convict) the prison heirachy works like this:

Gang or drug related crimes
Large scale theft
Trespass, petty theft, vandalism, arson, 'white collar' crimes
Fraud
Assault, one punch kills, manslaughter
Murder*
Battery, rape*
Child abuse
Child molestation

(The bold ones are the real heirachy, whereas the others are just their social standing. They are not often involved in rape or violence, be it giving or recieving.)

Also, the starred ones, if committed on women, will get you right down with the guys who hurt kids. You're considered the lowest of the low, and nobody thinks it's wrong to abuse you, pretty much.

So, not only do offenders have to live their lives with what they've done, with their own self-loathing and guilt, and most probably the hated of friends, family, etc, but they have to spend a significant amount of time in this system of kill-or-be-killed violence and terror.

I think death is the easy way out, and I don't think they deserve the easy way out.

by belle of the boulevard. Mon 12 Jan 2009, 11:00 pm

the tax payer is paying for this though :/

after i'm 18, i'll have to pay for absolute scum to be kept alive.

by **LADIES AND GENTLEMEN** Mon 12 Jan 2009, 11:32 pm

You'd rather they be killed?

by **gloria-** Tue 13 Jan 2009, 1:33 am

it seems to me that killing people to teach people that killing people is wrong is a bit...how you say...hypocritical?

by Jack Skellington Tue 13 Jan 2009, 5:05 am

It's so hypocritical.

by **LADIES AND GENTLEMEN** Tue 13 Jan 2009, 8:47 am

One of the many reasons I don't support it

Murder is wrong, all the time, any time, even if our government is doing it. Especially if our government is doing it.

by Jack Skellington Tue 13 Jan 2009, 9:01 am

^ Exactly.

It's like the government is saying "it's alright for us to, just not you guys."

Like my fave quote- If the president does it, it's not illegal. ~Nixon.
What a stupid person.
FACEPALM.

by THE BRIGHTSIDE. Tue 13 Jan 2009, 12:52 pm

rainbow polly. wrote:the tax payer is paying for this though :/

after i'm 18, i'll have to pay for absolute scum to be kept alive.

I'd rather pay and have them alive, living out the rest of their sad, miserable lives than paying to have them killed - the easy way out. I don't care which is cheaper.

--
Think about the Muslim extremists who plan terrorist attacks. The murder of hundreds, maybe thousands of people. They don't care whether they get shot by the firing squad or not. They think they'll be sent to heaven (or whatever they call their good after death place) for exterminating infadels. I see it more of a fit punishment to have them live out the rest of their lives in a prison. To have lived out their days in one of those low quality Indonesian prisons would have been much, much worse for the Bali Bombers than death by firing squad.

Maybe if one of my relatives was murdered, I'd instantly think or believe that the justice is in the murderer being killed. A lot of people who have to go through something as horrific as the death of another by murder might agree. But total justice wouldn't be served. You can't bring those relatives back, no matter what you do.

Like Carmen said, I find the death penalty an act of hypocrisy.

by belle of the boulevard. Sun 25 Jan 2009, 3:19 am

how about we just lock them in a room with a photo of the person they killed?

by Jack Skellington Sun 25 Jan 2009, 7:35 am

That'd make them sorry so fast.

I'd agree to that.
The death penalty is so pointless. I'm glad the state of Illinois repealed it.

by **gloria-** Sun 25 Jan 2009, 7:38 am

i think it's hard to say that it'd do all that much for so many people.

i mean, while yes, there are a lot of spur of the moment shit i just killed someone people, there are also the yeah they deserved to die people and the oh crap i'm crazy let's go kill people people.

for the last two, i don't think it'd work so well...

that being said, i don't have another alternative.

by belle of the boulevard. Wed 28 Jan 2009, 2:27 am

the last two, you just leave them in a room with messages from the victims' families and friends.

show them the effects of what they've done?

by tea-boy. Wed 28 Jan 2009, 5:07 am

rainbow polly. wrote:the last two, you just leave them in a room with messages from the victims' families and friends.

show them the effects of what they've done?

Someone like Charles Manson won't be affected.

by Sheepy Wed 28 Jan 2009, 6:09 am

^People like Charles Manson would probably find it a source of wonderful entertainment.

Albert Fish went as far as writing a letter to the mother of a victim, explaining with pretty horrendous detail how he'd chopped up and eaten her 10-year-old daughter.

Letters would only work on the people who care that they've killed someone.

by **LADIES AND GENTLEMEN** Wed 28 Jan 2009, 7:38 am

Sociopaths/psychopaths in general won't be affected.

Psychopaths suffer from a basic lack of ability to associate themselves with anything humane. It's like a complete inability to relate to human emotion crossedwith a variety of sadism.

I think it's a pretty safe bet to say thats what the two people you guys mentioned are? Although one thing I actually don't know that much about is murder.

by tea-boy. Wed 28 Jan 2009, 8:03 am

Exactly.
Some of the them get pleasure out of knowing they took a life.
Playing them messages and stuff will only make them happy, if anything.

by Sheepy Wed 28 Jan 2009, 4:43 pm

^Mikey, I think you're right; I'm pretty sure both were psychopaths. Though neither managed to successfully get an insanity plea-Manson only escaped the chair because the death penalty had just been abolished (temporarily) in that state.

by david c Sun 01 Feb 2009, 2:19 pm

testosterone boy wrote:O

Murder is wrong, all the time, any time, even if our government is doing it. Especially if our government is doing it.

Why is murder always wrong? this question's open to anyone.
That is, could you please explain why murder is always wrong, or what makes it wrong. Or why can't there be exceptions.

by **LADIES AND GENTLEMEN** Sun 01 Feb 2009, 4:37 pm

Beacuase it's a constitutional right to life.

-shrug- because in my belief, at least, there is no heaven, hell, limbo, reincarnation or afterlife. I believe this is the only life we get, and nobody should be deprived of it.

Suicided and assisted suicided or euthanasia are different - but this is why this is murder; murder means taking someone's life and I don't think life is something another person should have control over.

by david c Sun 01 Feb 2009, 6:10 pm

the issue is, why does something like this become so definitely wrong?
Saying 'nobody should be deprived of life' is just a tautology...
why?
what makes human life so special? Especially if life on earth is all there is... what about bacteria, mosquitoes, puppies? Do your beliefs really justify your position against the taking of human life by another?

Personally (as you probably already know) I do actually have a firm stance against murder, and the death penalty, but I justify it with my understanding of inherent human dignity and the sanctity (sacredness) of human life. I know this probably goes back to my religion, which is why I'll stop there.

But as I said, justify yourself. This goes out to everyone else here.

ps: mikey did u make that sig yourself?

by **LADIES AND GENTLEMEN** Sun 01 Feb 2009, 8:00 pm

Ahaha yes I did.

And, well that's why I'm a vegetarian -shrug-

I believe that if a creature can feel pain or emotion then it shouldn't be killed. I don't have an issue with most creatures, and won't even kill bugs unless they're actually bothering me. But in my opinion if it's the one chance someone has to experience the world, nobo

Homan beings are amazing. I mean, the thought that everyone is living right now, breathing right now,that this second people are dying and the next second people are being born, it's fucking astounding. Every single person out there has thoughts and feelings and emotions and it's beautiful.

I think to take that away is despicable, and it deserves the worst punishment imaginable - which is why, in my opinion, the death penalty is letting people get off too lightly -shrug-

by **the takedown.** Sun 01 Feb 2009, 8:37 pm

why kill people who kill people to show people that killing people is wrong?

by tea-boy. Sun 01 Feb 2009, 8:50 pm

Would your opinion change if some nut murdered your family or something?
A lot of people's minds do change.
Grieving loved ones often push for the needle.
I really don't believe in the death penalty, just interested in people's answers.

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