Capitol Punishment

[Saggy]

All right, first of all, this is not a debate. This is post is going to play on the other part of the D&D, the Discussions part. The reason for this, is because everyone has their own beliefs on Capitol Punishment, and a debate on it would simply go unresolved. I thought that maybe pointing this out, would let people know this is just a discussion.

 

Now, you might've guessed that this was inspired by the Tookie case, but again, I don't want this to be a debate. Basically, I want to hear your views and opinions on capitol punishment. The reason for this, is because I'm having a very hard time understanding the anti-Capitol Punishment stance.

 

I am for capitol punishment. I believe that when you make a mistake—such as committing a crime, in this case murder—, that your punishment for that crime should be some proportional. In simpler terms, yet more related to the bible (which does not influence my beliefs in this situation), an eye for an eye.

 

See, the reason I believe this, is because when you kill someone, they're dead. They can never enjoy another pleasure in life, because they have no life. I believe that it's wrong for someone to go on, being able to enjoy even the simplest things in life, when they have robbed the same privilege from someone else. That to me is injustice, and I believe that putting that person to death for this rectifies the situation.

 

So far, from asking those who are against capitol-punishment, the general consensus among them is that no one deserves to die. I recognize the hypocrisy in holding this belief, and punishing people by death, but I also believe there should be room for duality. As I said before, if you are alive, you can still enjoy some of the simplest things, when the person you killed cannot.

 

Now, I know that a lot of religious beliefs may tie into your opinion, so be sure to let us know if that is the case. This is more of a learning thread, than it is a debate one whether or not it's right or wrong, so keep it civil.

 

[Lazlowrocks.]

I personally don't believe in it, unless something big happened that more than a few people were victims. I'm not sure what makes me think this, but there are so many murderers out there that right now fit the death penalty, but do the governments of the countries they're being kept in really want to spend all that money on thier execution? Life sentences are pretty much the same as death, and cost less money.

 

I agree with you're point about how the victim is dead and can never enjoy anything again. But what if they can? What if there is some sort of next life, or afterlife that is similar to this life? Then they can, yes? But more realistically speaking, If they face a life sentence in jail, they can't enjoy any pleasure of life either, now can they? So either way, they're not going to enjoy life. With the death penalty, they'll be dead like the victim(s), and with life, it'll be pretty much equal.

[Saggy]

I personally don't believe in it, unless something big happened that more than a few people were victims. I'm not sure what makes me think this, but there are so many murderers out there that right now fit the death penalty, but do the governments of the countries they're being kept in really want to spend all that money on thier execution? Life sentences are pretty much the same as death, and cost less money.

 

I agree with you're point about how the victim is dead and can never enjoy anything again. But what if they can? What if there is some sort of next life, or afterlife that is similar to this life? Then they can, yes? But more realistically speaking, If they face a life sentence in jail, they can't enjoy any pleasure of life either, now can they? So either way, they're not going to enjoy life. With the death penalty, they'll be dead like the victim(s), and with life, it'll be pretty much equal.

If you're serving a life stentence in prison, there are still some things you could enjoy. Not as much as you could if you were free, but certainly more than the party that you murderd. (If there is no after-life, which I believe).

[Monoxide]

I am against capitol punishment entierly, As shown in the case of Stan 'Tookie' Williams it can be totally injust. Maybe if the legal system could effectivly reserve the punishment for mass murder's and tyrants then perhaps it could remain, however the legal system would struggle to determine who exactly fits into the capitol punishment catagory and who fits otherwise. This gos back to the old saying 'two wrongs dont make a right.' Infact just the thought of ending someones life entirley because we deem the acts they have commited as inappropriate or wrong is simply barbaric. I am against capitol punishment and am lucky enough to live in a country that have abolished it sometime ago.

[Lazlowrocks.]

I personally don't believe in it, unless something big happened that more than a few people were victims. I'm not sure what makes me think this, but there are so many murderers out there that right now fit the death penalty, but do the governments of the countries they're being kept in really want to spend all that money on thier execution? Life sentences are pretty much the same as death, and cost less money.

 

I agree with you're point about how the victim is dead and can never enjoy anything again. But what if they can? What if there is some sort of next life, or afterlife that is similar to this life? Then they can, yes? But more realistically speaking, If they face a life sentence in jail, they can't enjoy any pleasure of life either, now can they? So either way, they're not going to enjoy life. With the death penalty, they'll be dead like the victim(s), and with life, it'll be pretty much equal.

If you're serving a life stentence in prison, there are still some things you could enjoy. Not as much as you could if you were free, but certainly more than the party that you murderd. (If there is no after-life, which I believe).

Yes, but if you do believe in an afterlife, there's still the things you can enjoy there.

 

But as you stated you don't believe in one, so I guess you're right. But wouldn't this have an affect too, if you murder someone, half of the time you have a disease or something, so wouldn't the victim be enjoying thier life more than you are?

[EL BENSON]

i feel that if you kill someone, it should be up to the victim family on what should be done, i persoanlly belive in it, if you had the mind to kill someone, then why not people be able to kill you, im dure the people, no matter if a person changed or not, they cannot change the past.

[jheath]

A friendly reminder: this topic has already been done, with a lot of active replies less than a month ago. Many of the replies posted there were good. If you are curious, you can check it out here.

 

As for at least one reason to abolish capital punishment: every justice system, past, present, or future, sometimes catches and punishes the wrong man. The number of falsely convicted citizens can be reduced, but no human system can be made 100% perfect. Executing someone, on the other hand, is 100% irreversable.

[K^2]

 

As for at least one reason to abolish capital punishment: every justice system, past, present, or future, sometimes catches and punishes the wrong man.  The number of falsely convicted citizens can be reduced, but no human system can be made 100% perfect.  Executing someone, on the other hand, is 100% irreversable.

While how effective it is can be debated, no one will argue that Capital Punishment reduces number of murders at least to some degree. Maybe a few innocent people will be executed, but then, a lot of innocent people will not be murdered somewhere else. The rate of wrongfull executions is far lower than the rate of murders, so even if the effect of the Capital Punishment is relatively small, does it not worth the lifes of these few wrongfully executed people to protect the lifes of the others?

Edited December 13, 2005 by K^2