Saidin

I'm finding it interesting that we have so far no athiest's in favor of the death penalty

oriecat

Well I'm not an atheist (but agnostic), but I'd like to throw out some of my thoughts and questions. I used to fully support the death penalty. I always thought that if you deprive someone of their right to live, then you in turn should be deprived of your own. Or something like that. But as I age and learn, I am finding myself against the death penalty, especially in its overuse of today. But I don't think I would ever be completely against it. For example, I always think about the local case of Wesley Allan Dodd. He raped and murdered several (I believe) little boys. When they caught him he had just abducted another little boy from a theater and was running down the street with him. He was convicted and given the death penalty. He actually wanted it and even tried to not have to appeal everything, but the appeals are automatic in those cases. He kept telling them, if you don't kill me, I will always try to get out, and if I get out, I will do it again. So if someone really wants to die for their crimes (I realize this is probably very rare!) how do you feel about that?

Hedwig

I'm adding my voice to the the anti-death penalty group. Killing people to show that killing is wrong makes no logical sense to me. I'm an abolitionist and I'm a card carrying member of Amnesty International and I tend to agree with their mandates.

When it comes down to it, if an innocent person is killed by the state only for the innocence to be proven later on, the person is still dead. We cannot restore life to them.

Personally, I feel that punishment by death, even for someone who is an admitted killer, is just lowering ourselves to their level.

Hedwig

As far as oriecat's question goes, and it's one I've thought of myself several times...I'm still up in the air about it but since I tend to be a supporter of the right to die, I tend to come down in favor of letting the guy get his wish. But, I'll say it again, I'm still up in the air on that issue.

tronvillain

Kvalhion:

Oh please, did I advocate cutting off the hands of shoplifters? I was simply pointing out that you were incorrect in asserting that punishment does not prevent bad behavior and that harsher punishments are less effective. The rest of your response is completely irrelevant to what I said.

free12thinker

I am in the minority here, but I am an atheist, and I am Pro-Death Penalty. I beliefe that one who murders another and thus, halts that persons progression of life; deserves no consideration for the further progression of their own.

I believe that exchanging death for life in prison is a waste of taxpayers money and is an unfair exchange for the life that was already removed.

I will go on record as saying that I only feel the death penalty is warranted for the following criminals:
First Degree Murderer's
Serial Rapists (3 offenses)

These two types of criminals do nothing but willfully and knowingly halt the progression of life, and therefore warrant no consideration from anyone regarding their own life. There is premeditation, planning and calculation involved.

I specifically mention 1st Degree Murder because the intentions are wholly and heinous. This is different from 2nd Degree, Manslaughter and the like, all of which could have circumstances surrounding the death, which put to question motif, intent and overall state of mind of the killer.

[ May 18, 2002: Message edited by: free12thinker ]</p>

The Resistance

Perhaps the THREAT of punishment is not an effective deterent. Only one in three murders ever result in someone getting convicted of the murder.

My concerns against the death penatly are the normal ones: what if an innocent got killed, what about rehabilitation, is an eye for an eye justfied.

Hedwig

You might already be aware of this but I just wanted to point out to people who might not be aware that death penalty cases cost the taxpayer more money than non-death penalty cases.

pepperlandgirl

I'm opposed to the DP for several reasons.

Moral Reasons
I believe it's never, ever acceptable to deliberatelytake another human life for any reason.

Logical Reasons
It is not cost-effective. As others have pointed out, it costs more to kill them than to keep them in jail for life.

It does not act as a deterrent.

The chance of an innocent person dying is to great. I firmly believe that if you are not willing to be the one innocent person in the chair, than you should not be pro-DP.

And finally, I have this wacky idea that prison should be about rehabilitation, as well as punishment. Could a serial murder, or any person guilty of 1st degree murder ever be effectively rehabilitated? I honestly don't know...yet. However, I think we do a great disservice to humanity as a whole if we don't try...if we just give up and fry 'em.


Life is the most precious thing we have...we only get one. And I'm uncomfortable being in anyway responsible for someone losing the one thing that is truly his/hers. I was reading Civil Disobedience, and I realized that I would willingly stop paying taxes and go to jail over this issue, if the country ever showed signs of not making progress. (And we are making progress...slowly, slowly, but surely.)

I also realized that this may be the one issue I'd actually burn an United States flag over*. I hope it never comes to that though, because I think as an American citizen, that's one of the most powerful things I could do to express my displeasure in the judicial system...and in the country. Especially in today's climate.

*note: This example is in addition to actually working to solve the problem.

bonduca

The justice system is not infallible, so I'm against the death penalty. If an innocent person is executed, what do we do? Say "oops, sorry about that!"

I can't even think of it past this point, it is so unacceptable.

[ May 18, 2002: Message edited by: bonduca ]</p>