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Yes.

No.

Only for certain crimes. (Name please)

[Leafsnail]

You're certainly right on that front - for example, anders breivik expected to be killed, yet he did what he did anyway. But it may certainly have an effect on other sorts of people. Someone who sells crack to children, for example, would liekly be a lot more deterred. We need to consider how capital punishment would apply for other crimes.

Spoiler: example crimes (click to show/hide)

Consider the following. Some you might deem worthy of capital punishment, some you might not, but they are all situations where some would consider death penalty appropriate, yet do not involve murder.

A man embezzles millions from a charitable organisation that provides food, water, and medical care to people in famine-struck somalia. The money that he took could have saved a large number of lives.

A group of people rent a building and start produce child pornography. The landlord is aware of this, and demands extra money from them in exchange for keeping quiet. When the police launch an investigation, the landlord destroys a large quantity of evidence.

A man living near to a school start selling crack to the students. In order to fund their addictions, the youths turn to stealing and assault.

And Draco would advocate the death penalty for stealing an apple.  What's your point?

Incidentally I think it'd be a horrible idea to have the death penalty for those offences since it would mean that the criminal would have nothing to lose, and may try to kill police officers, take people hostage or run away when they might have just surrendered if they were being subject to a reasonable penalty.

[Dr.Feelgood]

I'm an American. And I fully support capital punishment. Sometimes the trash needs to be taken out. To be honest, I don't think we execute nearly enough criminals. I believe the death penalty should cover drug offenses, pedophiles, and rapists. And capital punishment should be applicable to all citizens, including juveniles and the so-called "insane". The state has the right to execute its people, if they violate another person's right to life. Abolishing the death penalty would be denying our history and values. America was founded by Christians who supported capital punishment, as written in the Bible. "Atonement for bloodshed can only be obtained by bloodshed.", Numbers 32:35. Capital punishment was even utilized before America came into existence. Numerous societies benefited from capital punishments: Wallachia under Vlad Țepeș' rule, Athens under Draco's laws, and Oman under Qaboos bin Said al Said's rule, and many others. All were successful in eliminating crime. The only problem I have with capital punishment is the costs. The costs can be reduced by reforming the lengthy and expensive appeals system, which would allow for swifter executions. Sure, a few innocents may be unduly punished, but that's a small price to pay for the greater good of society. What many high-minded socialists don't seem to grasp is that it is human nature to want vengeance. Besides, why should we waste taxpayers' money keeping these scum alive? Make no mistake, that many of these animals only appear human. Compassion is wasted on them. Capital punishment is the American way. I doubt we could even have a functioning society without severe punishments. There are only two choices: execution or life imprisonment. Would you really want life imprisonment for criminals in America? Executions are more humane, like shooting a sick dog, instead of watching it slowly suffer to death.

[Taricus]

I'd just like to point out that it should be liberals instead of socialists.

[Jacob/Lee]

...Children and... Drug offenses? I don't think I would go that far...

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

I'm an American. And I fully support capital punishment. Sometimes the trash needs to be taken out. To be honest, I don't think we execute nearly enough criminals. I believe the death penalty should cover drug offenses, pedophiles, and rapists. And capital punishment should be applicable to all citizens, including juveniles and the so-called "insane". The state has the right to execute its people, if they violate another person's right to life. Abolishing the death penalty would be denying our history and values. America was founded by Christians who supported capital punishment, as written in the Bible. "Atonement for bloodshed can only be obtained by bloodshed.", Numbers 32:35. Capital punishment was even utilized before America came into existence. Numerous societies benefited from capital punishments: Wallachia under Vlad Țepeș' rule, Athens under Draco's laws, and Oman under Qaboos bin Said al Said's rule, and many others. All were successful in eliminating crime. The only problem I have with capital punishment is the costs. The costs can be reduced by reforming the lengthy and expensive appeals system, which would allow for swifter executions. Sure, a few innocents may be unduly punished, but that's a small price to pay for the greater good of society. What many high-minded socialists don't seem to grasp is that it is human nature to want vengeance. Besides, why should we waste taxpayers' money keeping these scum alive? Make no mistake, that many of these animals only appear human. Compassion is wasted on them. Capital punishment is the American way. I doubt we could even have a functioning society without severe punishments. There are only two choices: execution or life imprisonment. Would you really want life imprisonment for criminals in America? Executions are more humane, like shooting a sick dog, instead of watching it slowly suffer to death.

State-sanctioned murder...

IN AMERICA!

(I am fundamentally opposed to capital punishment and I believe that it is completely unjustifiable in every way.)

[Phmcw]

I'm an American. And I fully support capital punishment. Sometimes the trash needs to be taken out. To be honest, I don't think we execute nearly enough criminals. I believe the death penalty should cover drug offenses, pedophiles, and rapists. And capital punishment should be applicable to all citizens, including juveniles and the so-called "insane". The state has the right to execute its people, if they violate another person's right to life. Abolishing the death penalty would be denying our history and values. America was founded by Christians who supported capital punishment, as written in the Bible. "Atonement for bloodshed can only be obtained by bloodshed.", Numbers 32:35. Capital punishment was even utilized before America came into existence. Numerous societies benefited from capital punishments: Wallachia under Vlad Țepeș' rule, Athens under Draco's laws, and Oman under Qaboos bin Said al Said's rule, and many others. All were successful in eliminating crime. The only problem I have with capital punishment is the costs. The costs can be reduced by reforming the lengthy and expensive appeals system, which would allow for swifter executions. Sure, a few innocents may be unduly punished, but that's a small price to pay for the greater good of society. What many high-minded socialists don't seem to grasp is that it is human nature to want vengeance. Besides, why should we waste taxpayers' money keeping these scum alive? Make no mistake, that many of these animals only appear human. Compassion is wasted on them. Capital punishment is the American way. I doubt we could even have a functioning society without severe punishments. There are only two choices: execution or life imprisonment. Would you really want life imprisonment for criminals in America? Executions are more humane, like shooting a sick dog, instead of watching it slowly suffer to death.

Hehe, thank you kind sir, you fully support my claim.

Here we can see how dehumanizing death penalty can be for society.

Besides, why should we waste taxpayers' money keeping these scum alive?

Kill them for money.

including juveniles and the so-called "insane"

Kill the children and the mads (say don't you have a friend in Norway. Tall, blonde, ideas you would have loved, I'm sure).

Make no mistake, that many of these animals only appear human. Compassion is wasted on them.

Ya mein fürher.

[Bauglir]

I can't tell if that's serious or a parody. GODDAMMIT POE.

[Neonivek]

Actually I am not quite sure why we don't kill children except by virtue that we say they don't have the capacity to respect the nature of the crime.

Yet don't they gain that ability at around age 7?

[Vector]

Wallachia under Vlad Țepeș' rule, Athens under Draco's laws

I can't believe you're actually using Vlad the Impaler (i.e. the historical basis for Dracula >_>) and the guy who gave us the word "draconian" in an argument.

Like... Yeah, you do anything and you're going to have a stick shoved through your anus so far that it exits through your mouth.  But that isn't justice.  That's disgusting.

Personally, switching would dissuade me from doing stupid shit far more than a little stay in my room, a few harsh words and no dessert.

My mother's parents had the kids all strip naked before my grandfather beat them with his belt.  It left welts.  Gave them fevers.  Of course, if they didn't know who had done something, all of them would get beaten.

It was horrible enough that she has never punished me for anything.  Surprisingly enough, I grew up crying when I thought I had done something wrong, nearly incapable of lying, and extremely prone to obedience.  There are ways to discipline without destroying a child.

[Neonivek]

There are ways to discipline without destroying a child.

Like Capital Punishment?

Though in all seriousness what a lot of scientists are finding is that the amount of punishment required to obtain the best possible effect is a LOT less then people realised.

For example the amount of time for imprisonment to reach its maximum rehabilitative effect on a first time offender is a month. At least that what he said.

Mind you even if that turned out to be true we would never change our laws to reflect that because Jails are also a type of retributive justice.

[SalmonGod]

If not outright killing the person then life sentences should be harsh. The only punishment that can be compared to the death penalty, in my mind, would be to rob a person of their ability to think. Maybe through medication that dopes them and takes away all that they were and are or something. Destroy a person's mind, and they may as well be dead and therefore it's the only thing you can compare to death. Anything else, allowing them to think, ponder and wonder, dream and fantasise, experience any kind of visceral pleasure...is and will always be preferable to death.

This is what long-term solitary confinement does, especially when combined when sensory deprivation.  Do some research on it.  It's horrific and widespread practice in the u.s. that has been recognized as pointless and barbaric since it was reviewed by u.s. justices in the late 1800s.

What many high-minded socialists don't seem to grasp is that it is human nature to want vengeance.

Claim A:  Desire for vengeance is human nature.

Make no mistake, that many of these animals only appear human. Compassion is wasted on them.

Claim B:  Compassion is wasted on those who only appear human.

I don't believe in vengeance.  It's never been in my nature.  Even when I was bullied as a child, I never hurt anyone in return.  I was highly athletic and more than capable of beating up most of those who gave me trouble.  I just never had it in me.

Am I only human by appearance?  Am I undeserving of compassion?

You might want to check out a certain type of human whose mentality is completely counter to the way you describe humanity, is biologically founded, and not a disorder.



Also, I would choose death before a life without freedom.  If I had no hope for expansions of freedom in the future, I would choose it right now, because I don't think our lives are very free.

[Neonivek]

Goodness that statement of "Appear human" reminds me of the spiritualist who said that everyone was born with a certain type of soul... but EVIL people (like Hitler) were born with "Dark souls".

I disliked that spiritualist and thought her theory was tripe and represents a fundemental misunderstanding of how people even function.

Here is the thing. When do humans cease being human? when they do inhuman things? Why would a human do an inhuman thing unless by its very nature inhuman acts are within human ability?

[Phmcw]

Goodness that statement of "Appear human" reminds me of the spiritualist who said that everyone was born with a certain type of soul... but EVIL people (like Hitler) were born with "Dark souls".

I disliked that spiritualist and thought her theory was tripe and represents a fundemental misunderstanding of how people even function.

Here is the thing. When do humans cease being human? when they do inhuman things? Why would a human do an inhuman thing unless by its very nature inhuman acts are within human ability?

Or, you know, it was quoting "mein kampf" world for world.

[kaijyuu]

Wait, there are people supporting the death penalty because it's petty vengeance?

That's... sick. It's outright sadism. How in the hell is that different from the person who originally committed the crime? Maybe you can get a piece of paper from a judge, and then it's A-OK to perform the exact same gruesome and inhumane act of taking someone else's life!

EDIT: Like many things, this can be further explained by Batman.


Putting emotion aside though, vengeance being carried out by the government does the exact opposite of deter people from performing crimes, especially violent ones like murder. It teaches people that there are situations where getting vengeance is acceptable, and if one person has the right to carry that out, so do they.

[ECrownofFire]

I'm an American. And I fully support capital punishment. Sometimes the trash needs to be taken out. To be honest, I don't think we execute nearly enough criminals. I believe the death penalty should cover drug offenses, pedophiles, and rapists. And capital punishment should be applicable to all citizens, including juveniles and the so-called "insane". The state has the right to execute its people, if they violate another person's right to life. Abolishing the death penalty would be denying our history and values. America was founded by Christians who supported capital punishment, as written in the Bible. "Atonement for bloodshed can only be obtained by bloodshed.", Numbers 32:35. Capital punishment was even utilized before America came into existence. Numerous societies benefited from capital punishments: Wallachia under Vlad Țepeș' rule, Athens under Draco's laws, and Oman under Qaboos bin Said al Said's rule, and many others. All were successful in eliminating crime. The only problem I have with capital punishment is the costs. The costs can be reduced by reforming the lengthy and expensive appeals system, which would allow for swifter executions. Sure, a few innocents may be unduly punished, but that's a small price to pay for the greater good of society. What many high-minded socialists don't seem to grasp is that it is human nature to want vengeance. Besides, why should we waste taxpayers' money keeping these scum alive? Make no mistake, that many of these animals only appear human. Compassion is wasted on them. Capital punishment is the American way. I doubt we could even have a functioning society without severe punishments. There are only two choices: execution or life imprisonment. Would you really want life imprisonment for criminals in America? Executions are more humane, like shooting a sick dog, instead of watching it slowly suffer to death.

Surprisingly enough, I grew up crying when I thought I had done something wrong, nearly incapable of lying, and extremely prone to obedience.  There are ways to discipline without destroying a child.

When I first read this, I thought that you were saying you were "destroyed" (as well), but that's probably just my rather... chaotic approach to things, hehehe.