Is the Death Penalty Necessary?
SodaHead News
2012/04/24 20:00:00
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630 votes
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351 votes
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California is putting another controversial measure on its ballot this year -- and you can expect to hear a lot more about it as it progresses. Activists collected 500,000 signatures to repeal the death penalty, a measure which would take 723 inmates off of death row and replace their sentence with life in prison. The death penalty is already off the table in 16 other states, and will soon be repealed in Connecticut.
The measure is significant in California because the state holds an enormous percentage of the nation's death row inmates (nearly a quarter, according to Yahoo! News). However, the state has only executed 13 people since 1976, compared to 481 executions in Texas. Activists argue that, regardless of moral issues, the state is spending billions of dollars on a system that rarely goes through with executions. Do you think the death penalty is necessary?
The measure is significant in California because the state holds an enormous percentage of the nation's death row inmates (nearly a quarter, according to Yahoo! News). However, the state has only executed 13 people since 1976, compared to 481 executions in Texas. Activists argue that, regardless of moral issues, the state is spending billions of dollars on a system that rarely goes through with executions. Do you think the death penalty is necessary?
Top Opinion
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RoseyRhod 2012/04/24 20:37:26No
+24I oppose the death penalty not because I feel that someone who acually committed a terrible crime deserves any mercy, but because there are cases in which I think people who were not actually guilty were put to death. Better that we should jail the scum for life than inadvertently put to death one innocent person. However, I don't believe that prisons should be as cushy as they currently are. Inmates should not be allowed to watch television or have porno magazines. They should have access to a library. They should also have to work, and they should be carefully watched at all times. I may disagree with Joe Arpaio on profiling, but I fully agree with him that inmates should not be coddled. If you do the crime, the time served should not be easy.
So, the difference between killing a fetus & an adult murderer is this: The fetus does not possess a soul, even though it did nothing wrong, so killing it is not "murder"; however, killing a person, even though that person has a soul, who has taken another human being's life with premeditation & evil forethought & motive, deserves to die. No ands, ifs or buts.
So, commuting murderers, rapists and cho-mos sentences to life will some how save them money, they claim.
2 live rounds, and one blank from a trio of 30.06 rifles will do the job for about 10 bucks.
(blindfold and accessories sold separately)
Meh, but I shouldnt get a kick out of this stuff. Our society is sadistic enough as it is(just this poll is proof) and its high time people take a step back from the b.s and re-examine the world. WIth hope, that'll happen sooner than later. :P
Anyways I was referring to those who were just labelled one, not because they did anything wrong, but because someone decided it would "close the case" faster. Or,(and this stuff is happening) because of some idiotic rule like the "Patriot" Act, that person is a "terrorist" for supporting muslims, or asking critical questions, etc. It'll only get worse too unless people take a step back and see the b.s for what it is.
You are also forgetting about deterrent, maybe the gang rapers and murders will think twice if their own lives will be on the line if they get caught.
I think the major problem why the death penalty isn't as effective as it could be is because they are no longer public, but behind closed doors where they are 'out of sight, out of mind."
It isn't the cost of the injection or the bullet or the current that is used to euthanize the criminal in comparison to keeping him/her alive, it's the cost of the court process.
That is one of the main reasons for the length of the appeals process. If new evidence is found or new technology is developed that can prove innocence, then the defendant walks... as he/she should.
The system is certainly not flawless. But it's the best we've got.
There are simply some things that are expensive & one simply must endure the cost.
I suppose it's a matter of priority. I believe the death penalty is a necessary part of our system, therefore, I believe the cost is worth it. If there were an effective way of reducing the costs without diminishing the value of the process, I would be all for it. I'm sure that there is waste somewhere, but I do not believe that time is a part of that.
It's deeply unfortunate that we have many death row prisoners who sit waiting for long stretches. But I believe that if a truly innocent person is set free because of that time-gap, it was worth the wait & the cost. It is there to ensure the convicted is truly guilty.
One cannot assume that everyone on death row is a liar, just like one cannot assume that everyone on death row is honest. There is no such thing as 100% of anything in any population, really, is there?
As I said, there is no such thing as a perfect system & I do believe that there is always room for improvement. But, when allowed to work correctly, without corruption, I t...&&
There are simply some things that are expensive & one simply must endure the cost.
I suppose it's a matter of priority. I believe the death penalty is a necessary part of our system, therefore, I believe the cost is worth it. If there were an effective way of reducing the costs without diminishing the value of the process, I would be all for it. I'm sure that there is waste somewhere, but I do not believe that time is a part of that.
It's deeply unfortunate that we have many death row prisoners who sit waiting for long stretches. But I believe that if a truly innocent person is set free because of that time-gap, it was worth the wait & the cost. It is there to ensure the convicted is truly guilty.
One cannot assume that everyone on death row is a liar, just like one cannot assume that everyone on death row is honest. There is no such thing as 100% of anything in any population, really, is there?
As I said, there is no such thing as a perfect system & I do believe that there is always room for improvement. But, when allowed to work correctly, without corruption, I think our system is pretty damned effective. I think corruption & the system of laws created by states themselves are more of a problem than anything (e.g. ridiculously strict non-violent drug laws, etc.). But, as with any system, it is open to corruption & certainly has its share.
I'd love to see a complete inventory (as in any functioning business) of our entire system. Wouldn't THAT be expensive?? And how would it possibly be conducted without corruption as well? So would it even be worth it?
There is no easy answer to such a complex question. I doubt we'll solve it here on Soda Head, but it certainly is positive to discuss it.
We simply have to try like hell to elect the right people to effectively do the jobs they're hired for.
Many of the women who have abortions are NOT Christians, & therefore will NOT be going to heaven, right? Now, why do "Christians" care more about a fetus who the "Christian" believes will go to heaven no matter what, than the woman who had an abortion? WHY? WHY? WHY?
I've heard the most foul-mouthed, self-righteous, nastiness come out of a "Christian's" mouth & keyboard, which most assuredly turns off ANY witness, or prevents any sharing of the Gospel they may have had with that woman or their partner. I've heard names like "murderer", "spawn of satan", and "hateful bitch". Women have been called "soulless", have been told they are "going to hell" for their actions, and that God would NEVER forgive them. All of which are LIES from cosmos diabolicus.
So, my question to "Christians" is the same as yours: "Love one another" & "Thou shalt not kill" . . . ."WHAT PART OF EITHER DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?"