Is it wrong to issue a death penalty?

[Keanumoreira]

In my opinion, yes, I believe it is very immoral to execute human beings based on their actions. Many countries, if not the majority, do issue death penalties, but is there really any point in doing this? Not matter how much you try to cover it up- with painless posion or whatever method they do - it's still killing a living, breathing entity that has loved, cried, and suffered itself. A human is still a human, so why kill one that has done the same injustice (or something just as bad) and just lock them up like everyone else? Why be considered a crimminal yourself when life in prison or a long sentence can equal the deed, and as a result, apply IMO, the real, appropiate punishment?

[LadyMilla]

In my opinion, yes, I believe it is very immoral to execute human beings based on their actions. Many countries, if not the majority, do issue death penalties, but is there really any point in doing this? Not matter how much you try to cover it up- with painless posion or whatever method they do - it's still killing a living, breathing entity that has loved, cried, and suffered itself. A human is still a human, so why kill one that has done the same injustice (or something just as bad) and just lock them up like everyone else? Why be considered a crimminal yourself when life in prison or a long sentence can equal the deed, and as a result, apply IMO, the real, appropiate punishment?

 

I think only a perfect and infallible criminal investigation and judicial system should be allowed to use an irreversible penalty such as a death sentence. Since such infallible system does not exist, the "proof beyond reasonable doubt" is a fallacy. There were people who spent a decade on the death row before their execution, and only after their death was their innocence finally proven. Also, there were cases where evidence was mishandled, faked or ignored. There are too many points during the administration of justice where errors may occur. I'd prefer letting a criminal live to causing the death of an innocent.

 

I

[Quetzlsacatanango]

There are probably crimes that deserve death, that's not for me to judge.

What I can judge, is that there is one thing the government does better than anything else, and that is to screw things up.

Why would you want to give an entity with that special talent the power to kill you? It doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

If someone has wronged you so badly that they deserve to die for it, do the dirty work yourself and take your medicine.

[TheCalliton]

to kill is to give up your right to life, since you do not respect life

to prevent a person from doing more of murder, we must remove them

though death is merciful, life is risky

[Quetzlsacatanango]

to kill is to give up your right to life, since you do not respect life

to prevent a person from doing more of murder, we must remove them

though death is merciful, life is risky

 

So soldiers should be put to death?

Maybe you want to rephrase.

[Surenas]

After some 4.000 years of death penalty without any influence on the serious crime rate the biblical idea of an eye for an eye has failed, no more no less. The uncivilized public murder of the convict has absolutely nothing to do with mercy or we're really living upside down, folks, but with the macabre revenge show the nasty mob hungers for since the days of Assur and Babel and with the power demonstration of the rulers. This fact and an ethical understanding of the Hebrew commandment "You shall not murder" (something a soldier does not in the killing at war, the old Hebrews were everything but quixotic fools) has resulted in a preference of a sentence for life in most modern, civilized states.

[JimboUK]

I am firmly against the death penalty. Not only is it impossible to correct mistakes, it makes it harder to gain a conviction, it costs more than imprisonment and it does not work as a deterrent. The state killing its own citizens is something I find morally repugnant and is something that should not happen in a civilised society. As Surenas correctly points out it's been around for thousands of years and has never stopped crime.

[Lisnpuppy]

I agree in my objection though it is not moral, but that to insure an innocent man is not convicted it cost the State (Florida for example) MILLIONS of dollars. I did a paper about 10 years ago that found that to put a person on death row in Florida it took over 14 Million dollars. It was half that for a life imprisonment. Also there is no correlation between preventing violent crime and murder and capital punishment. Most of these crimes are "crimes of passion" and the thought of consequence is not considered until the deed is done.

 

However if someone I loved was hurt or murdered...say my daughter. My logical objections would go out the window.

[Surenas]

...

However if someone I loved was hurt or murdered...say my daughter. My logical objections would go out the window.

Right, but different from relatives of a victim in an exceptional situation the public as such is absolutely not involved - nevertheless it's always the public that cries loudest for vengeance, hastening to the execution, sometimes with foam at the mouth, playing as cartoon the divine deemed judge of the legendary "Mine are vengeance and recompense!" Guess it's nothing but the old bread and circuses phenomenon that still fascinates the public. The blood of somebody must be shed to absolve us from our own evils, hallelujah! Then we feel much better ... for a little while. Too bad!

[Lisnpuppy]

...

However if someone I loved was hurt or murdered...say my daughter. My logical objections would go out the window.

Right, but different from relatives of a victim in an exceptional situation the mob is personally absolutely not involved - nevertheless it's always the mob that cries loudest for vengeance ... often with foam at the mouth, playing as cartoon the divine deemed judge of the legendary "Mine are vengeance and recompense!" Guess it's nothing but the old bread and circuses phenomenon that still fascinates the public. The blood must flow! Too bad!

 

True. But in the US the mob doesn't usually actually ACT upon it all. They are just loud. This is also why there are so many levels of appeals for capital punishment cases. So mob rule isn't the rule.