jaej

If this has ever been a thread, forgive me, I wasn't here, and I trust that people wouldn't object to a second round. I'm sure there are varying opinions here, and I am curious to hear them. If you're up to it. If not, ignore this. Lol.

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jaej

I suppose it would be proper for me to put my opinion in here. I am against capital punishment. If anyone cares why, ask. Mostly all the normal reasons, I think.

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Og

I think it's utterly ineffective. Punishments are designed to work as deterrents. In the case of most first degree murders, we're working with people who are already in situations where they face death every day (i.e. inner-city gang violence).

Premeditated killings that don't involve people in violent situations are the exception.

But, I guess there's not much you can do with these kind of violent people. Need to fix the underlying cause of their situation. Until then, I don't see much in the way of options as long as you are certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that the accused is guilty. I don't have a problem with its implementation I just think the burden of proof should be very high and that money should be spent on social analysis and investment for change in regions that produce these kind of violent crimes.

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brig

Since I do not believe in an afterlife, I've always seen Capital Punishment as a bit of a let off. I appreciate that they have their right to live taken away, but I think having their freedom stripped of them would be a more suitable punishment.

If it was up to me, I would probably stick them* in solitary confinement until the day they passed away. Although, I'm sure the UN Human Rights Council would have something to say about it.

* Referring to the worst of society here, not your average grocery shop burglar. Serial killers for example.

debdodd

Okay I didn't think that one up all by myself but knew it would get some people's attention. Anyone who thinks going to prison is punishment should scratch the surface and see what their life is really like. They have cable TV, food, a bed to sleep in, books to read, they can even earn a college degree care of tax payers. I say if there isn't a doubt as to their being guilty .... kill 'em, use the money you would have spent on their time in prison on social reforms, homelessness, all the other needful people. If there is no after life then nothing lost but if there is .... I hope they have fun in hell ... let's just send them there as soon as possible. I've seen infants molested, scared for life, never being able to have children of their own, mother's who have put cigarettes out on their kids and we want to give them rehab? a second chance? Nope ... they had no mercy on their victims, they should get none from us. For those people I hope their is a Hell....

Geshtinnanna

I am all for killing poeple.

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debdodd

Geshtinnanna ... would that be killing all people or just the really creepy ones??? LOL

Geshtinnanna

Anyone who gets on my nerves will do. Plus when the world is hit by a nuclear explosion and I become a zombie, I won't have a problem eating them either. Especially with hot sauce!

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OMG

I'm against capitol punishment. You are just killing a person out of anger, same as what the person whos getting the capital punishment probably did. So all that ends up is the guy dying (which may be good in some ways - ie not having to try to correct his behavior and social values). But then the people that are satisfied that he is dead and are the ones that wanted him killed in the first place, are just going down the same path as the guy that was killed. It's like they were allowed to kill him in response to they're anger, but the original guy died for that same response.

I guess id be against the current methods of punishment all togther. all it does is keep some of the population in prison. as soon as you send 1 guy to prison, you have to let 1 guy out to make room for him. (unless "prison" actually encourages healthy social behaviour :P )
Also. I think everyone is the same and anyone could have just as easilty been in anyone elses shoes. I bug a racist guy at work (about being in someone elses shoes). I say to him that he must be very happy his parents werent black, lol, and I asked him what he would have done if his parents were black. He didnt know how to respond, realizing that he has no choice to who his parents are, and if they were black then he would be black. He eventually said he would kill himself, but I think I made him think about his beliefs.
anyway.... My point was, people are people, everyone is the same, you could have been someone else, someone else could have been you. And people do things for reasons.(this hits on my disbelief of the existance of freewill). They're behavior is taught to them by their experinces growing up. The fact they're behavior is ****ed up and ends up taking them to the gas chamber is irrelevant. They're exact behavior could be predicted if everything was know about them, infact theyre beliefs could be predicted based on theyre experiences. Theyre behavior that led them to capitol punishment could have been prevented by introducing different experiences in theyre life.
So all it means is that person is the same as you just with a different set of experiences. (maybe a tad bit of genetic disposition differences, but still no fault of they're own)

Geshtinnanna

Respectfully I call bs. I was raped as a child. I AM NOT THE SAME AS MY RAPISTS. They deserve the death penalty. The guy down the street who saves stray animals is not the same as the lady down the street who kills her kittens. That's just poppycock! (always wanted to use that word) Some people who are defective and harmful to society do not deserve to live.

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