In College, I gave my position on the Death Penalty

[defe07]

OK, we were in Sociology class and watched a Chilean movie called "El Chacal de Nahueltoro", which was about this man who killed children and adults. At the end of the movie, we were entitled to give our opinion. I raised my hand and got to speak. About the death penalty, I said that this should be considered on a case by case basis. I mentioned that there are 2 types of crimes, one with victims and one without victims. Now, regarding this man, I said that the man deserved to be sentenced to death for the crimes he committed but also said that the government has no right to make anybody, criminal or not, to suffer. I should've said that the man could've been given a choice to have a lethal injection or not. The government tried to teach the man about values and other stuff but I thought to myself "Well, if he's going to be sentenced to death, why give him any hope since he won't be able to change his destiny? ". Basically, I think I did a good job giving my opinion. (Dr. Paul opened my eyes )

 

[Conza88]

Ron Pauls against the death penalty...
so errr... lol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex-yp10yLvs

 

[defe07]

Ron Pauls against the death penalty...
so errr... lol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex-yp10yLvs

Well, I never said I was for the death penalty . However, I'm usually against it but when a person kills people for no reason, the death penalty should be used. There's a conflict of interests between liberty and life, I think.

 

[Conza88]

No reason? haha, there is always a reason. It's called motive. Be it, they get pleasure out of doing it etc.

And no, I don't think it should be used. I think they should be imprisioned, in an effort of rehabilitation - and if that can't happen, then they won't be released. They'll spend the rest of their days rotting in a goal cell, whilst working for their enslavement. (So the state and taxpayers don't foot the bill).

How do you punish the martyr that wants death? You don't give it too him.

 

[sophocles07]

I would never support giving the STATE--eternal corruption, murderer--power to decide/judge who to kill and who not to kill.

 

[MRoCkEd]

I'm against it. The only thing it does is satiate the desire for retribution. It does not deter crime, it costs more than life in prison, innocent are convicted, race often plays a factor, it is handed down arbitrarily, etc..

 

[SeanEdwards]

I think a jury should have the authority to condemn a criminal to death. I also think we should adopt the practice from islamic sharia law that says that the family of a victim has the right to be the executioner, if they want. Under Sharia, the next of kin of the victim also has the authority to commute a death sentence to life imprisonment if they want. I think that makes a lot more sense than leaving the authority to commute a sentence in the hands of an elected governor.

 

[amy31416]

I'm against it. The only thing it does is satiate the desire for retribution. It does not deter crime, it costs more than life in prison, innocent are convicted, race often plays a factor, it is handed down arbitrarily, etc..

Also against it for all those reasons, plus, the potential for abuse and error in trials.

 

[defe07]

You know, the funny thing is after I spoke I got alot of people applauding me. I got goosebumps because I could imagine changing the scenario to a podium in one of those Republican debates, me being Dr. Paul and my classmates being the supporters.

 

[AutoDas]

The State has no right to put someone to death that they already have in custody. You only kill in self-defense. It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem. what if there is new evidence or technology that could set that person free? You're ending a life, so of course there's going to be a lot of appeals and that costs more money than imprisoning someone.

 

[defe07]

I'm no supporter of the death penalty and I think it shouldn't be used in many cases. But the worst crimes should be an exception, unless if the criminal accepts a lethal injection. There's a big liberty vs life connection here I think and it's hard to say which position is the best. I don't support using race, social background or gender as a factor in any case. I would support having the jury decide instead of the government. The government could say that all of us Ron Paul supporters should be sentenced to death for example because of what we represent. So, if you ask me what my stance is, I say that the death penalty should be used ONLY for the most serious crimes.

 

[defe07]

The State has no right to put someone to death that they already have in custody. You only kill in self-defense. It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem. what if there is new evidence or technology that could set that person free? You're ending a life, so of course there's going to be a lot of appeals and that costs more money than imprisoning someone.

Yup, I agree that it should be up to us the people to decide who should be put to death and I could support having a jury decide.

 

[newyearsrevolution08]

If anything I think that a "death penalty" should ONLY be allowed to come from a "jury " of some sort so that it is the "we the people" are making this decision rather then a judge, politician or whatever.

I too am having issues with the death penalty. Because here it is, people talk about the added cost to put someone to die BUT it still costs alot to have them in jail in the first place AT ALL.

Adults who hurt children and by "hurt" that is a lightened version lets say, when adults do things to kids I can't have pity or ANYTHING for them. If you kill or violate a child I think the death penalty should be used BUT it should be done WHEN SENTENCED.

If you are guilty and sentenced to death by a JURY then you should be walked out and hung or whatever needs to be done.

Now of course when it comes to adult on adult killing, that still has me pretty sided. I can see crazy people doing crazy things but man alot are brought on BY the environment and society that they live in as well.

Either way, we have way too many people in prisons. I think a human life is worth more then most any crime that can be committed MINUS one against a child. I can't forgive that one.

If we are going to sentence people to death then it needs to be done THEN, what I think that would do is IF there really is a flaw or issue with those getting put to death then odds are the damn system doesn't work does it.

The point would be, they were sentenced right? so why not get it all done with. Whats wrong with the united state of american KILLING 20k deathrow inmates? Does that seem unethical? IT DOES! ah so maybe if we stretch it out until they are 82 then talk about how in 1972 they committed a murder and convicted and then FINALLY we put them to death costing us only God knows how many greenbacks.

If we are going to have the death penalty then we need to do it, sure it would look like a big genocide if it was all done at once. I really wonder how many death row inmates we do have actually.

If we are not agreeing with putting them ALL to death then we should not put any of them to death. It needs to change but no matter what you do if anything AT LEAST leave the final say to a GROUP of people and not just a single say.

Hell we could vote on it in the city/state it happens in. Imagine all the people you pissed off being able to vote for or against you living, that would be crazy too...

 

[Nirvikalpa]

I'm for the death penalty - which is probably the only thing Dr. Paul and I disagree on. However, I would pefer it if 1) there was enough extreme evidence for it to be 100% proven, that way no innocents die and 2) they had the trail in an unbiased place. I'm only pro-death penalty because jail is too easy.

I don't really like the government being involved in this, though... If I could absolutely have my way, it'd be that taxpayers don't keep people alive, and that they would have rough treatment in jail - it is too lax. No more computer access, no 3 meals a day - what's so bad about jail when you get fed more than a poor person on the street on NYC? When you can go to gym, walk outside... I think that is ridiculous. Bread and water, that's all they should be fed. Make them suffer for life, not live a life of luxury - that some honest american citizens that have never broke the rules don't even have.

But then you get into the arguement over 'human rights.' Murderers, rapists, child molesters have no rights in my book. I don't even consider them human. And then they make you feel bad for the person, talking about how they were brought up, what prejudice they experienced, where they grew up, etc. Bullshit. Everyone has problems - but we should all know what is right and wrong.

 

[Kraig]

I am overall for the death penalty but I understand that it has many problems as it is implemented right now. If someone clearly committed murder, for example the whole act is on video tape, there are dozens of witnesses, and they even confessed to it then I wouldn't have any problem with putting that person to death, but where do you draw the line? I understand most homicides aren't transparent like that and the problem with the legal system is that guilt must always be "beyond any reasonable doubt", therefore if someone is guilty of murder but you don't have enough evidence to put them to death - you also lose any credibility that they are even guilty.

The biggest problem I have with life imprisonment is that taxpayers have to foot this bill, it is a mockery of justice to say that one man should be provided for by society because of everything he did wrong. Of course it is a bigger mockery of justice to put an innocent man to death for a crime he didn't commit, I am not ignoring that. I think this could be reformed by forcing prison inmates to work for their own food and board, this would pretty much make them slaves, which would probably piss off just as many human rights type people as does the death penalty now. This would have to be real work that real people would pay for, not some random trash pickup or "community service" that no one could make even the smallest living off of in the real world.

I guess I just don't know what the right answer is.

 

[mtmedlin]

No man should ever put another man to death. I abhore the death penalty. The arrogance of any person to pass judgment to end a life is beyond me. It is simple emotionalism, which is understandable but as an adavanced society we should never put our own citizens to death. It has been proven that it isnt a deterrent so what is the point?