Death Penalty

[Seagull27]

If I'd been done for murder, I think I'd rather die than rot in prison for the rest of my life. For that reason I am against it, as I think life imprisonment is a far worse punishment.

 

[User removed 4]

We learn from other countries that the death penalty does nothing to reduce the amount of serious crime, all it does is debase our own morality to the level of those we wish to condemn.

Until you can show me a way of quantifying people who HAVE been deterred from committing murder by the death penalty, your statement really doesnt stand up.

 

[Woodchip]

I support the Death Penalty for

Pre-planned murders

Terrorists

And paedophiles.

 

[User removed 4]

Serious sex offences, premeditated murder, violent rape

- for theft remove fingers and repeat offenders they lose a hand.

Bring back the stocks for other misdemeanours in the town square or shopping mall!!

At the end of the day if you know the punishment then these things can act as a deterrent!

Move to a muslim country if you want to live under sharia law!

 

[DTES]

The death penalty directly contravenes the 6th commandment, so for that reason alone, I don't think it's a good idea.

...

' Let he who is without sin cast the first stone ' - the meaning of this is clear, as soon as you DO cast that first stone, then you have become as much of a sinner as the person who is being stoned.

Now this is a joke right, using Old Testament law to oppose the death penalty? The old testament demands the death penalty for, among other crimes: murder, adultery, incest, kidnapping, blasphemy, working on the sabbath, attacking of your own parents, prostitution, and homosexuality. The 6th commandment hardly holds it back...

For what it's worth though, I completely agree that the death penalty is wrong in all cases...

 

[Buzzer]

I'd definitely have the death penalty for the SPACKERATI on here who only have one joke and repeat it constantly. Yes, I'm looking at you Crodo you dullard.

Also for people that feed pigeons, people who leave tea bags in the sink, wankers who don't give up their seats for those who need it more, rude newsagents, real ale bores, people who sniff when they need to blow their nose, cat owners, teenagers who wear their jeans around their arse.

Oh and Martin McGuinness.

 

[DTES]

Until you can show me a way of quantifying people who HAVE been deterred from committing murder by the death penalty, your statement really doesnt stand up.

The fact that murder rates are not affected when the death penalty is introduced/abolished doesn't provide enough evidence for this?

 

[Seagull1967]

Why does have to be on religious grounds? Surely it should be what is best for protecting our people regardless of their beliefs and any other prejudice!!

 

[bloomingood]

Rape, murder, causing death by drink driving (or drugs) and kiddie fiddling = hang em! Publicly (make a nice day out!).

 

[Woodchip]

Rape, murder, causing death by drink driving (or drugs) and kiddie fiddling = hang em! Publicly (make a nice day out!).

Can we have ice cream and jelly with some Pimms if the weather is nice?

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

I support the Death Penalty for

Pre-planned murders

Terrorists

This

 

[User removed 4]

Why does have to be on religious grounds? Surely it should be what is best for protecting our people regardless of their beliefs and any other prejudice!!

Was having a little joke mate!

 

[User removed 4]

The fact that murder rates are not affected when the death penalty is introduced/abolished doesn't provide enough evidence for this?

Not in the simplistic way you are quoting it no, our murder rate has gone up exponentially since abolition, but i doubt that is solely due to this, society has changed as well, all these factors need to be considered.

 

[chucky1973]

Right here goes:

Death Penalty: for any person that does wrong to kids, rape, murder, abuse, thats Death Penalty, no questions asked., Preplanned murder such as the Ipswich Ripper that killed 5 prositutes a couple of years back, is also death penalty, todays technology is far better than it was and most guilty verdicts are correct, based upon DNA.
I also think LIFE should mean LIFE.

 

[DTES]

Terrorists

This

At the risk of sounding pedantic, define "terrorist"? I assume you mean those committing (or intending to commit) mass murder, but do you only include intended suicide bombers such as those on the tube, or also (for example) IRA bombers?

Either way, I understand, but for me there are a couple of flaws, particularly when it comes to those intending to commit a suicide bombing - where do you draw the line with intend if they haven't done it yet? How far down the line do they have to be before it becomes ok to kill them for their intended deed?

And what if they manage to kill someone but somehow survive themselves (bomb doesn't quite work properly or whatever, the mechanics aren't relevant to the point) - someone wants to die committing murder, so you kill them for it, giving them exactly what they wanted? Doesn't strike me as punishment to be honest...

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I will probably be accused of being a hand-wringer, but I believe, if you the state takes a life, it's no better than someone who commits murder. You lose the moral high ground completely. Not a religious point of view (completely athiest). I can quite understand that some people deserve it, but I couldn't support it.

 

[Seagull1967]

At the risk of sounding pedantic, define "terrorist"? I assume you mean those committing (or intending to commit) mass murder, but do you only include intended suicide bombers such as those on the tube, or also (for example) IRA bombers?

Either way, I understand, but for me there are a couple of flaws, particularly when it comes to those intending to commit a suicide bombing - where do you draw the line with intend if they haven't done it yet? How far down the line do they have to be before it becomes ok to kill them for their intended deed?

And what if they manage to kill someone but somehow survive themselves (bomb doesn't quite work properly or whatever, the mechanics aren't relevant to the point) - someone wants to die committing murder, so you kill them for it, giving them exactly what they wanted? Doesn't strike me as punishment to be honest...

Why should the TAX payer pay for them to be kept alive - lets keep our costs down and get rid!!

 

[DTES]

Why should the TAX payer pay for them to be kept alive - lets keep our costs down and get rid!!

Your argument is based on cost, rather than the morals of the punishment itself (or even reward, in a suicide bomber's opinion?)? I don't think the debate should even touch on cost and, whichever way it goes, it's a far more fundamental moral debate...

 

[Kazenga <3]

This is a discussion which never goes badly, right?!

Fwiw, I'm against. Not for any specifically wishy-washy reasons (although I am a bit of a pinko, Guardian-reading lefty), but simply because I do not believe the state should have the power to murder its citizens, under any circumstances. Even if you think that kind of power wouldn't be misused by the current government and political system, there's no guarantee that this will remain the case in the future. I've been to enough places which are or have been dictatorships to feel that the death penalty should be absolutely taboo.

Agree with this in part. In some cases I would have no qualms with the death penalty eg. child murder but it is far too risky in my opinion to give that power to the state. We've seen what has happened on an extreme scale with Stalin and Hitler and it still happens in African countries today. Yes it is unlikely that such a government would seize power in Britain but I would rather be on the safe side. Also it is difficult to determine if the suspect definitely did the crime and huge mistakes could be made in taking lives wrongly. Very rarely are things 100% certain O BLOODY K.

 

[Seagull1967]

Your argument is based on cost, rather than the morals of the punishment itself (or even reward, in a suicide bomber's opinion?)? I don't think the debate should even touch on cost and, whichever way it goes, it's a far more fundamental moral debate...

All these things have to be taken into consideration, both moral, rights and cost. The other option is to throw them in prison with other murderers and tell them what they are in prison for and let let them dish out the punishment.

At the end of the day where do you draw the line? There are many factors and I don't think the "will" of the people would be happy knowing that a failed suicide bomber is being kept alive if the death penalty was available...