Posted on 12/13/2004 5:04:17 PM PST by BJungNan
ping
I'm pro-death penalty too. The unfortunate thing about the death penalty is that it takes too damn long to execute them. It postpones the justice that is due Laci, Connor and their family. Justice is supposed to be swift and just, but when you have an appeal process that allows convicted murderers to hang on for 15-18 years, it's far from swift and just. While Peterson sits on death row, he'll probably be getting visits from his family and friends, plus he'll probably be able to get mail, phone calls and packages. People that are against the death penalty forget that although these guys are incarcerated, it doesn't stop them from killing again, either other inmates or staff. They have nothing to lose. Keeping murderers alive in prison doesn't do anyone other than the killer any favors.
We average about 35,000 murders a year. How many innocent people have been executed?
What if the prisoner kills a guard or another prisoner on Death Row? How many can he kill before we say "Enough"?
Is that when they execute them right away? ;-)
I think the death penalty can be reconciled with the New Testament. Jesus urged soldiers not to abuse their authority, but He didn't condemn soldiers for being soldiers, for using the ultimate force in defending citizens from aggression.
This principle can be extended to justify protecting society from murderers, who can reasonably be expected to kill again, by putting them to death.
The pope has recently stated that in nations where it is possible to lock murderers safely away for life, without their representing a threat to kill again, that this option is preferable to the death penalty. This is a reasonable, prudential argument, but one that doesn't contradict the legitimacy of the death penalty in principle.
Too many people have been released after appeals have shown incompetence and corruption for me to be comfortable with the death penalty anymore.
Better the victims kill them at the time of the crime, and be done with it.
I remember the article I read almost as though it were yesterday, and it was in 1983. A weekly newspaper in Santa Cruz. After 15 years, he had met one (1) prisoner who took responsibility for his actions and was sorry, repentent. One.
Woke the guy up to reality.
I've mentioned a number of times on FR that last year I had occasion to talk to the head DA of the rural county where I live (who was retiring) and he told me off the record that the only way to get crime under control - stop the revolving door - would be public beatings (not for capital crimes). Public pain and shame.
The cops here (I don't know about other places) call the people they keep arresting over and over again "clients"; they know them all by name.
Singapore has the right idea.
It's easy to reconcile.
Jesus says that we, personally, should turn the other cheek. But he does not say that we should submit to being tortured or killed! He's talking about insults or at the most a whack upside the head. To be a real follower of Jesus is to be humble, and look to God for our own protection, not enact revenge ourselves. But common sense also says that we don't submit to being killed or harmed.
Even more important, he does *not* say we should tolerate injustice or harm done to OTHERS!! We should stand up to protect others. He never says we should tolerate criminals hassling or hurting other people.
In fact, (not being a scholar so I don't have a verse!) the Bible is pretty clear, IIRC, about taking proper care of others, especially those under our protection.
Actually life imprisonment is rather a modern idea, and not a good one.
How about disemboweling? It's rather effective....eventually..
When my family's safety is at stake...I rack the slide.....Questions?
Sounds like an excellent idea.
I've wondered if Scott was always believed and stood up for when he was younger. The parents were in such denial (which is understandbale) but good grief. Parents have to let their kids experience the consequences for their wrongs when they are young or they'll always think they can lie their way out of things.
I have no idea if this is the situation with Scott as a child but like I said I sure do wonder... it could be a case of the kid who could do no wrong, finally did, but didn't get away with it this time.
I'm not sure I exactly get your point. Obviously, about 35,000 people a year for starters. How many other than that?
I read an article just this week that they now think a man executed last January in Texas was innocent. I tried to find the article but couldn't. The death penalty is needed but the thing I have against it is the methods. Even lethal injection is now believed to be very painful. The purpose of the death penalty is to stop the worse of the worse from killing. Take his life humanely then society doesn't become what we have destroyed
The Pope IS the Pope. But he holds a LOT of views that are not Catholic. The just application of capital punishment has been a consistent Catholic teaching, if not itself any dogma. It's based on the very notion of Justice. Remember - this is the 'half-moon' Pope of Malachy's prophecy, friend to Islam and the UN. He's in no position to act as moral authority on anything, frankly. Not this Pope. Hopefully the next.
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