The Death Penalty: Yes or No

[Emzzie]

I would have to say no. While I think some people deserve death, I'm against it because people don't have a right to play god. The criminals should be behind bars their entire life. I remember watching Law and Order when I was little and getting very angry when a man who was innocent was excecuted. I could just not process that that kind of a mistake could be made. That is the biggest reason I hate the death penalty. We are still humans who can make mistakes. I doubt many are made, but the little number still gets to me. If they are proven innocent after and millions of dollars of money is paid to the family, they are still gone. Their name is still associated with the crime. Its terrible. We punish for mudering and then we murder ourselves. Though this is a light term, "Two wrongs don't make a right." And how do we know its not painful? Has anyone lived after it? Its not right, period.

 

[Willow-Tree]

You guys all brought up very good points. 🙂 And believe me, the fact that there is a good chance of the person executed being innocent is a very good reason to not believe in it. On the other hand, would you prefer this "innocent person" to live in shame and confinement their ENTIRE life? Personally, in that instance, I believe that they would prefer death. Death, while knowing that they are innocent and will, depending on their faith, go to "a better place". 😀

Last time I checked, you weren't the ONE vote that determines the lives of millions.

"Escape from what they have done"? The offender was Angel, he was... Well, the offender in this particular crime was more like Billy from Ats Season 3. This quote pretty much describes it:

"It's not the pain. It's the helplessness. The certainty that there's nothing you can do to stop it, that you're life can be taken away in a second by somebody else. He doesn't care. He'll beat you down 'til you stay down because he doesn't even *think* of you as alive. No woman should EVER have to go through that, and no woman strong enough to wear the mantle of "vicious b*tch" would ever put up with it."

A fictional television show with supernatural creatures vs. real life. I wonder which one is more sensible?

Whether somebody is "mentally ill" or not doesn't matter. In fact, it makes them MORE dangerous since they cannot be reasoned with. Yes, it's very unfortunate. But we don't win wars by going easy on everybody.

Besides, would that mentally ill person really need to live? They're ill, they don't understand what they're doing, and they don't understand life. IMO, it would be a blessing to stop them and not make them live their life like that. 🙂

I honestly think this is one of the most disgusting posts I have ever read in all my years of foruming... I can't even begin to comprehend what makes you think this.

The way I see it, the family would be GLAD that the offender was executed. Maybe they would grieve. But in the end, they'd be happy that they'd never again have to live in fear wondering who the offender would kill next. Not have to continue being disappointed. Not have to be reminded of their failure of a son/sibling.

Again, you are not the deciding factor. Every family is different. I wouldn't want a family member of mine to be killed.

Besides, I must say, people like that aren't just born that way. Something had to have happened to make them so disturbed, well it be a bad childhood or just plain mental illness. And if it's the latter, than he should have been taken to a mental FAR before his first offense.

I'll be back to reply to this after you've edited to English.

Also, once again referencing the episode "Billy": Billy's family was GLAD to see the last of Billy. Somehow I imagine that the same would happen to the RL family. 😀

Again, FICTIONAL show =/= real life? Absolutely not.

Well, in the beginning, I believe that all life has worth. And after a while, you prove yourself to be useful to the world, or harmful to the world. You gain respect, or disrespect. Love or hate. Some people gain execution, others gain a long and good life.

You don't believe in second chances? You love Angel, yet don't believe in redemption? What?


And, I don't mean to be rude, but do you even have enough life experience to be discussing such a controversial topic? :?

 

[Big Damn Hero]

I agree with willow tree 🙂

 

[Beaumonde]

Whether somebody is "mentally ill" or not doesn't matter. In fact, it makes them MORE dangerous since they cannot be reasoned with. Yes, it's very unfortunate. But we don't win wars by going easy on everybody.

Besides, would that mentally ill person really need to live? They're ill, they don't understand what they're doing, and they don't understand life. IMO, it would be a blessing to stop them and not make them live their life like that. 🙂

Are you actually serious? Mentally ill people are not themselves. Even then you'd be killing someone for a crime they didn't commit.

There's medicine and hospitals to help these people, and even though it's tough, it's worth it. Killing them would just be cruel.

 

[Wishing Oceans]

Oh my lord. That is the most ridiculous argument I have ever heard. Yes, miscarriages of justice do happen. But I can't think of one person that would rather die for a crime they didn't commit, than have the chance to clear their name and to live the life they were meant to live.

Maybe so, but there's always that (fairly high) chance that they will be thought of as guilty their entire lifetime, and then have to SPEND that entire lifetime rotting away in a cell of criminals, thinking about what they DIDN'T do wrong. Death sounds a lot more fun to me. 🙂

Gaol, jail, prison, whatever you call it, ISN'T just about punishment. It's about rehabilitation, about people being able to pay their dues and move on, to teach those with no moral compass right from wrong (if possible). Of course there are always going to be those who are past redemption; or those that commit crimes in which they should be locked up for the rest of their life no question (I'm personally thinking repeat offenders, serial killers/rapists; but that's obviously a personal thing and each life-long imprisonment sentence should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, not just a "do they tick all the boxes" basis. I've forgotten what I was saying.)

As Alliern21 said, many of these people are sociopaths, and they simply don't care about what they did. As you said, the whole purpose of jail is to try and redeem someone. If they're un-redeemable, then jail kinda loses it's purpose, doesn't it?

This little section makes me so mad that I can't reply right now. But going by your theory, we might as well get rid of all the disabled people in this world, because they don't really need to live either, do they? They contribute nothing to the economy, they don't understand life.

By mentally ill, I mean INSANE people. Sociopaths, lunatics, whatever you want to call them. As in out of their mind. I'm not talking about people with mental handicaps or mental retardation here.

I would really love to hear more on this "mentally ill" bit of yours.

If you would like to continue this conversation, just p.m. me, please. Thank you. 🙂

I haven't replied to the rest of this post because this whole stance on mentally ill people just makes the rest of the argument pointless in my opinion.

Again, I think that you're misunderstanding what I'm referencing with the term "mentally ill". If you're not... Again, just p.m. me please. 😀

Are you actually serious? Mentally ill people are not themselves. Even then you'd be killing someone for a crime they didn't commit.

There's medicine and hospitals to help these people, and even though it's tough, it's worth it. Killing them would just be cruel.

And if they can be helped with medication, then that's great, and that would work well for them.

BUT, what I'm saying here, is that if somebody is an out of control sociopath, THEN a mental illness, if incurable, isn't a reason to let somebody get away with murder. Yes, they probably don't know what they're doing. And that's unfortunate. But it doesn't change the facts.

Last time I checked, you weren't the ONE vote that determines the lives of millions.

Did I say that I was?

I honestly think this is one of the most disgusting posts I have ever read in all my years of foruming... I can't even begin to comprehend what makes you think this.

Again, I think that what I'm defining as a "mentally ill" person and what you guys are defining as a mentally ill person are very different.

As I've said, I mean an out-of-control sociopath that meds cannot help and is beyond redemption.

Again, you are not the deciding factor. Every family is different. I wouldn't want a family member of mine to be killed.

It would be different from family to family, so we can't really judge that.

I'll be back to reply to this after you've edited to English.

... OK... "Besides, I must say, people like that aren't just born that way. Something had to have happened to make them so disturbed, whether it be a bad childhood or just plain mental illness. And if it's the latter, than he should have been taken to a mental hospital FAR before his first offense." Was that easier for you to read? 😉

Again, FICTIONAL show =/= real life? Absolutely not.

Maybe so.

You don't believe in second chances? You love Angel, yet don't believe in redemption? What?

Aren't you one of people saying that fictional shows and real life are different?

And, I don't mean to be rude, but do you even have enough life experience to be discussing such a controversial topic? :?

Since according to your BB age you're only two years older than me, do you?

Also, since you bring up the topic of age, I feel that it is perhaps better to not have much experience, because then you have an unbiased opinion. 😀

I agree with willow tree 🙂

I'm so misunderstood!! *Cries* :biggrin3:

 

[Buffy Summers]

Okay. Since despite my earlier warning, some people in this thread can't seem to discuss a controversial topic without making rude and hurtful comments, this thread is now closed.