By request, I am doing a discussion generating post! YAY!
The topic I chose: The Death Penalty.
For it? Against it? And why (don't forget to answer this part!)?
Give a short and sweet answer or a long and indepth one...
Because this is such a controversial issue and there are two sides (or more) to the issue, please read what others have to say, too! And even if you don't agree, it's always nice to try and understand where other people are coming from!
Hopefully this will generate a good discussion!
I have very strong opinions on this issue but I'll wait to share them until a few people have posted their comments!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
27 comments:
I believe that in some cases, the death penalty is good. There needs to be a severe penalty for serial killers or serial rapists, etc. I think the death penalty SHOULD only be used in extremely verified-by-evidence cases in extreme crimes, such as those I stated above.
Also, on a different note, I just posted on my blog, and I was wondering how you got the "reactions" thing...
Click on "customize" and then in the "blog post" box, click edit... it's in there =)
I'm not touching this one.
(Supposing I were "for" capital punishment, I would still be horrified to watch another human being be put to death.)
i have mixed feelings on this. Biblically i think it is a gray area. and i can think of some verses at would go both ways. i'm interested to hear what others have to say.
I support the idea of capital punishment, but the way it is executed (pun intended) leads to controversy.
I heard from a reliable source that there is clear racial discrimination against African Americans when it comes to the death penalty.
If this were not the case I think there needs to be a punishment that could deter horrible crimes.
I do not support the death penalty. One reason is that which Charlie stated, statistically there is a racial difference in its application. In addition, the number of mistakes (ie, those now known to be innocent due to the availability of DNA testing) that have been made in convictions frightens me. You can't take it back.
That being said, if someone hurt my children, I would want to apply the death penalty to them myself.
Jana
I'm not sure how I feel about this. I agree with Erin.
I'll try and keep this simple. No. No to the death penalty.
I agree with the reasons that were already listed.
Although I oppose state-sanctioned killing, I also disagree with the lifestyle murderers are allowed to have in prison. Books? Access to the internet? Television? Hell no! They need to make license plates or something to pay back society.
Fourth, if anyone killed my daughters, I would want to personally torture and kill them. That's were the state steps in so that we don't live in the "wild wild west".
Finally, I don't understand Christians who would agree it's okay to kill someone under any condition given the whole nature of Christ. Didn't he stop a stoning?
-Lori
I am absolutely against the death penalty. Here are my reasons (and if you want, I'll dig up statistics):
1. As Charlie said, minority groups are severly executed far more than white people.
2. It is way more expensive to execute someone than to give them life in prison.
3. It does not act as a deterrant for other crimes.
4. If the intent is to protect society from the murderer then life in prison accomplishes that.
5. It's revenge. See #4: that accomplishes "punishment" and to take it to killing is taking farther than necessary.
6. Even with DNA testing, there are still mistakes made and it's easy to say, "yeah but MOST of the time we get it right now" ... until you are that innocent one or the innocent one executed is someone you love. No Bueno.
7. As Lori mentioned, I think it goes against everything Christianity stands for: grace, mercy, forgiveness. I realize that there are verses like "an eye for an eye" but that is Old Testament. Jesus came back and said, "Turn the other cheek." While I don't think we should allow people to keep killing, I do think that we can apply the principle and not seek revenge (punishment: yes - revenge: no).
As a christian, I'd want the murderer to have as much time on this earth to repent and be in a right relationship with God so I, personally, am very saddened when I hear of executions. Honestly, I even was sad when Sadam Hussein was executed. He was a very, VERY bad man, but still, he was a lost soul headed straight for hell.
And those reasons, my friends, are why I am adamantly against the death penalty in both application and theory.
I'd be happy to entertain rebuttals... I've researched this topic oh-so-much for school. I even have like 3 papers (well, if I still have them) that I wrote on this topic.
Oh yeah, I also agree that prison should not be like Club Med. What the heck???
And I also admit that if someone killed someone in my family, I'd want them executed! Which is why now is a good time to form an opinion or stance on the issue.
very well put jess
I know that if I was put in a situation where a family member were killed by someone and I was given the choice whether or not to utilize the death penalty or not, I would have an awful hard time saying no, but in the end, I would say no with the knowledge that our sins are just as bad in the eyes of the Lord, and that we shall forgive as we have been forgiven.
Ick...I don't like thinking about this one....next subject:)
Capitol punishment is harsh, no doubt, and a lot of skells certainly deserve that type of justice. I agree with a lot of what has been said, but I have an alternative thought.
I have mentioned this to some of my family - I think they may recall as I rant at the dinner table about taxes, social security, death penalty, etc. I am serious, so don't laugh at my idea.
With todays technology it should be pretty certain before convicting. Murdereres and child molesters will be on the top of my "list".
I propose building a very secure fence/wall around a pretty worthless piece of land and just banish them to it. Give them just enough materials to survive if they have the motovation - cattle, seeds, fruit trees, and water. Basically just send them back to the stone age. No electricity or any type of power.
I totally agree that it is a shame that they are treated so well in prison. What ever happend to hard time?
If they choose to harm fellow human beings then they will be in good company.
-fatheroftheblogger
Dad, I do remember you telling us that before. And yeah, I think it's a very good idea (as are most of your ideas). =)
a few words come to my mind when I read my father's comment: Cruel and UNUSUAL punishment. Is it a great idea? Yes Is it unconstitutional? Yes. Lets just chop their nuts and be done with it :)
I dont think dad's idea is much different than life in prison except that you are giving them resources to live and provide for themselves instead of a prison guard bringing them a tray of mystery meat every day. They are still locked up, still unable to hurt society and we save money. And I think mandatory castration is unconstitutional... and it wouldn't work on the women hehe
I didn't say that the farming thing was cruel, but it is unusual :)
btw, by word is "lebso". I think that might be a little close to another word :)
Dave, your idea sounds like sending them on the show Survivor! Except no million dollar prize :-)
Jana
The only problem is that you would be sentencing them to death, for surely they would all kill each other.
We could also feed them to the lions. If they happen to out-smart the lions, the could live.
Think of the tax revenue that could be generated if we charged people to come and watch.
That is actually the premise of the movie Death Race, its actually a quality movie. Plus Jason Statham is a beast :)
Pea #2 of 4..... I don't understand your concern about it being a problem. Killers, killing themselves? If that is what they want to do, then let them.
Some of them will survive and eventually set up a sudo-government with laws...how ironic.
But without booze, drugs, and women... what else is there to fight over?
Feeding them to the Lions? Wow, good idea...there is a glimmer of Republican in you!!!!
fatheroftheblogger
fatheroftheblogger,
Your suggestion of putting them all in one place to fend for themselves doesn't feel right to me, at all.
That being said, I can't find a strong argument against it. Hmmmm.......
(RE: Republican: did you know I actually voted Republican twice? Hint: Did NOT vote for GWB. Eventually I started to think for myself. Which isn't to say you haven't. I just thought about the things that were important to me and took off in a different direction.
-Auntoftheblogger
PS
Thinking that feeding them to the Lions does NOT seem like a Republican thing -given the food was Christians!
;-)
Feeding them to the Lions is pretty Republican in my opinion (the whole "tough on crime" thing). Not very Christian, but very Republican.
While many Christians are Republican, not all are, so we probably shouldn't use them synonymously =)
I vote Republican for the same reason you vote Democrat... I do the research and vote my values. The Repub candidate typically is that candidate but if a Dem represented my values more, I'd vote Dem! I just haven't had that experience yet =) Maybe someday!
One of my best friends here in MN is a very devoute Christian who voted for Obama...
Okay enough of my tangent! lol - I really digressed!
I agree Jess, I don't vote down party line, I vote for the one representing my values. It just so happens that Democrats are more aligned with what I value than Republicans. I don't see that changing in my lifetime, whatsoever.
If you look into the history of both parties you will see that back in the day Democrats would be republican and vice versa, the name stay the same while values shift. Funny how that works :)
True Charlie. That is why I laugh when Republicans claim they are the party of Lincoln.
Post a Comment