A conservative picture of the Poles.

Rzeczpospolita (in Polish only) ^ | 24.05.2005

[lizol]

A conservative picture of the Poles.

There is no other nation within European Union, which would be so much attached to religion, so much opposing homosexual couples, and not opposing bringing back death penalty as the Poles.

These are results of public opinion poll conducted among 10.000 people living in 10 largest countries of united Europe by leading public opinion polling agency Sofres.

First diagram:
Should a woman be allowed to have an abortion?

Secong diagram:
Absolute opponents of death penalty

Third diagram:
Religion plays fundamental role in life

[Vicomte13]

To favor the death penalty in the limited instances in the catechism is not to be a heretic.

Example. There are convicted murderers in prison who are evil, vicious creatures. In prison they kill again. They kill and maim other guards and prisoners. Even in solitary confinement, they sometimes hurt the guards who still have to feed them and otherwise watch them. Dr. Lecter may not really exist, but there are murderous Mr. T's out there, for whom rehabilitation is beyond our knowledge, and incarceration does NOT protect other people from being killed or maimed.
That would be an example of a case in which the death penalty might well be warranted.

Another case might be vicious terrorists who murder many, but who are cool as leopards when sitting in prison for their crimes. Through various lines, they communicate with their murderous terrorist allies outside, and thereby continue to orchestrate murder. And if put into solitary confinement, they become causes celebres for their evil associates to capture, torture and murder other people to extract their release. Executing these murderers in jail prevents their being objectives in a spreading game of murder to acquire their release.

This might be a second example of a case where the murderer, even in a cage, is the cause of more bloodshed and horror, and where the doctrine of the lesser evil would permit the application of the death penalty, which is not itself illicit.

Also, I don't see how this position on the death penalty is any different, in substance, from the Catholic position on war, and specifically on the war in Iraq at the time of its inception.

[j23]

When most people talk about death penalty they don't have in mind such extreme examples as you've mentioned (dr. Lecter). They just think: death for death. A few years ago there was in Poland a case of a guy who had killed five persons. Standing before the judge he said something to the effect: 'I killed them cause I like killing". When I heard this I thought to myself: this is the one who deserves to be hanged. But the question is not what we think, but what we are allowed to do by God.

About those extreme cases you write:
"Even in solitary confinement, they sometimes hurt the guards who still have to feed them and otherwise watch them"

I'm sure there are ways to isolate even dr Lecter effectively. Human resourcefulness is unlimited.:)