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The death penalty is actually quite merciful.

P

press

Let me explain to you what I mean.

I have a friend who was proven of selling drugs. Due to plea-bargaining, he only had to do a month of prison, but it was prison, not jail. If it had been jail, it probably would have been easier, but the stories he told me of his month in prison were just unthinkable. They would beat the **** out of you just to see you bleed. They'll rape you, gay or not, just to hear you scream. They don't care. They've got nothing to live for, especially the "lifers" as he called them.

Death through lethal injection, however, is quick and painless. Even the chair only lasts a few seconds, and the rest is left to God. Even these few seconds of unbearable pain is better than rotting in prison for the rest of your life.

So you see? the Death penalty is actually merciful. I think life in prison should be declared cruel and unusual before death is even considered. If I were ever convicted of a capital crime that constituted one of the two, or even a few years in prison, I would ask my lawyer to get me sentenced to death. I'm sure the government wouldn't mind since it costs money to keep me in prison and feed me.
 
I am not sure I would you call the death penalty "merciful." You are still killing human life and in my book that is wrong.

I have have a high value on human life, and almost nothing is of equal value to it. I am in fact against the death penalty, so that may be clouding my judgment in this particular case. I do agree that life in prison is not easy, fun, or pleasant. It is prison, you go their to "get straighened out" so to speak, and when you come out you start life over.

Even though Prison has several downsides, you have to think about the emotions and thought a person on death row woule be thinking of. I really don't know how long it takes from the sentencing to the actual execution. However, during that time billions of thoughts will go through their mind and they could break down emotionally. The posibilities are endless.
 
Pretender said:
I do agree that life in prison is not easy, fun, or pleasant. It is prison, you go their to "get straighened out" so to speak, and when you come out you start life over.
Then they should at least make sure that no convicts encounter each other. Give them each their own cells, and if the prisons get crowded, build more prisons. If you can't afford to build more prisons, and don't want to raise taxes for fear of reelection, sell bonds. If your state constitution forbids you to lend your credit, have a lottery. Sell tickets for cheap and give a large percentage of the pot to the winner to encourage buying.

It's not rocket science!
 
galenrox said:
yeah, that's a pretty sad thing to say about our justice system, when we're essentially saying "Welcome to our Penal system, if you're lucky we might just kill you!"
And as for this, it could be worse. Think back to old times. You would be hanged, slowly sufficating to death or, if you were lucky, you'd get your head cut off, so that the pain lasted for only a few seconds.

I personally think that the cruel and unusual punishment clause should be stripped from the Constitution, in order to intimidate criminals into obeying the law. I personally think that the Code of Hammurrabi was the best law ever written, because the punishments were so harsh that no one wanted to take the chance of being convicted.
 
oh yeah...how long did the babylonian empire last again? </sarcasm>

im extremly against torture, dont you think the threat that you might be sentenced to death is intimidating enough?

and crime is essential to our lifestyle and economy, without the threat of robbery or the fear of your kids being kidnapped, many companies would go out of business. if everything was perfect, half the population would be unemployed.

too much beta-carrotine turns you orange. health kills.
 
Quite the contrary. I think life in prison is more intimidating than death because, as you know, I understand how merciful it is.
 
Death penalty, merciful? Hmm, yes. I agree that prison life should be a cleaned up a bit, but in no way I believe death is merciful.
 
"Jesus says to forgive"

"Thier forgiveness is between them and God. I'm just here to make the arangement."
-Movie Man on Fire

As some men took over a village they killed and raped all the women and just killed the men. Then for target practice they threw the babies in the air and shot them.

Yep, they deserve to live, don't they. Sometime the death penalty doesn't seem like murder, but justice. Kill those scum that murdered those innocent people. How is it there right to live?
 
Mixed View said:
"Jesus says to forgive"

"Thier forgiveness is between them and God. I'm just here to make the arangement."
-Movie Man on Fire

As some men took over a village they killed and raped all the women and just killed the men. Then for target practice they threw the babies in the air and shot them.

Yep, they deserve to live, don't they. Sometime the death penalty doesn't seem like murder, but justice. Kill those scum that murdered those innocent people. How is it there right to live?
then they deserve cruel and unusual punishment, preferably having their skin shaven off with a potato peeler while they're fully concious. I said death through lethal injection was merciful, not death though torture. Such a crime you mentioned deserves torture.
 
press said:
then they deserve cruel and unusual punishment, preferably having their skin shaven off with a potato peeler while they're fully concious. I said death through lethal injection was merciful, not death though torture. Such a crime you mentioned deserves torture.


They probably deserve torture, but atleast they should get the death penalty.
 
Mixed View said:
They probably deserve torture, but atleast they should get the death penalty.
that's not the point I was trying to make. Death through lethal injection is merciful compared to life in prison.
 
I understand where people come from when they make the point that it is not "morally right" to kill another individual (even if it is the death penalty) but I think opinions might change if a member of my family was a victim of someone's terrible crime...
 
Mixed View said:
"Jesus says to forgive"

"Thier forgiveness is between them and God. I'm just here to make the arangement."
-Movie Man on Fire

As some men took over a village they killed and raped all the women and just killed the men. Then for target practice they threw the babies in the air and shot them.

Yep, they deserve to live, don't they. Sometime the death penalty doesn't seem like murder, but justice. Kill those scum that murdered those innocent people. How is it there right to live?


Its not the fact that they deserve to live, they don't and God will have thier punishment comming to them. However I don't think there is a single man or woman(gotta be politically correct) on this earth that has the right to decide if a man lives or dies. That is something that should be left before God. Detain them, hold em away so they'll never see the light of day again, but God alone has the right to judge them.
 
NewAgeTexDem said:
Its not the fact that they deserve to live, they don't and God will have thier punishment comming to them. However I don't think there is a single man or woman(gotta be politically correct) on this earth that has the right to decide if a man lives or dies. That is something that should be left before God. Detain them, hold em away so they'll never see the light of day again, but God alone has the right to judge them.

Correct, in premeditively, coldly killing someone, we are in effect, acting the exact same way they did. Where was I when we were given the right to execute criminals in an organized manner? I say send them to live in a 3rd world country prison.
 
Originally Posted by press:
that's not the point I was trying to make. Death through lethal injection is merciful compared to life in prison.
Did you know it costs more to execute someone than it does to house them for life? Did you also know that it doesn't address the problem of murder in our society? We have never had a violent baby born in the history of our planet. So how do we get all those Charlie Manson's?

I am dead set against the death penalty. It is not administered as judiciously as one would think. Name me one afluent person that was ever put to death? Just one! Have you ever considered we have executed innocent people? How many people on death row were released from prison after DNA testing proved their innocence? Its a poor-man's punishment. And it is not a deterrent. Saying it is, is saying murder is a rational act. Most murders are between people that know each other and are crimes of passion.

And lastly, Thou Shall not Kill is a law from God, and for us to follow. I know it makes sense to want to kill someone that has taken a life that was very special to others, but it doesn't stop the problem from repeating.

One more thing, would any religious person (Catholic specifically), ever consider forgiving a murderer, if they repented. Taken to the extreme, would you pray to Charles Manson? At first glance, you might think that's nuts for me to bring up. But think about it, you pray to St. Paul. Do you know who St. Paul was before he was St. Paul?
 
Billo_Really said:
Did you know it costs more to execute someone than it does to house them for life? Did you also know that it doesn't address the problem of murder in our society? We have never had a violent baby born in the history of our planet. So how do we get all those Charlie Manson's?

I am dead set against the death penalty. It is not administered as judiciously as one would think. Name me one afluent person that was ever put to death? Just one! Have you ever considered we have executed innocent people? How many people on death row were released from prison after DNA testing proved their innocence? Its a poor-man's punishment. And it is not a deterrent. Saying it is, is saying murder is a rational act. Most murders are between people that know each other and are crimes of passion.

And lastly, Thou Shall not Kill is a law from God, and for us to follow. I know it makes sense to want to kill someone that has taken a life that was very special to others, but it doesn't stop the problem from repeating.

One more thing, would any religious person (Catholic specifically), ever consider forgiving a murderer, if they repented. Taken to the extreme, would you pray to Charles Manson? At first glance, you might think that's nuts for me to bring up. But think about it, you pray to St. Paul. Do you know who St. Paul was before he was St. Paul?

Good sumary Billo, and yes, no one is born evil, they are just misguided over the course of their lives, that' all. Imagine if you all saw an infant laughing, and picking flowers. I bet you would all have a smile on your faces, but what if I told you this baby was Stalin? Eveyone has a clean slate when they are born. Their mileage through their lives may vary though.
 
Originally posted by Kal-el:
Good sumary Billo, and yes, no one is born evil, they are just misguided over the course of their lives, that' all. Imagine if you all saw an infant laughing, and picking flowers. I bet you would all have a smile on your faces, but what if I told you this baby was Stalin? Eveyone has a clean slate when they are born. Their mileage through their lives may vary though.
As Jackson Browne said,

"The only thing that survives, is the way we live our lives".
 
Billo_Really said:
Did you know it costs more to execute someone than it does to house them for life? Did you also know that it doesn't address the problem of murder in our society? We have never had a violent baby born in the history of our planet. So how do we get all those Charlie Manson's?

Are you sure it costs more to kill them than put them in prison? I would think the cost of keeping someone in prison for 50+ years would be far greater than just giving them a lethal injection.

I am dead set against the death penalty. It is not administered as judiciously as one would think. Name me one afluent person that was ever put to death? Just one! Have you ever considered we have executed innocent people? How many people on death row were released from prison after DNA testing proved their innocence? Its a poor-man's punishment. And it is not a deterrent. Saying it is, is saying murder is a rational act. Most murders are between people that know each other and are crimes of passion.

I realize people have been found innocent after being on death row but I don't think that is proof enough that we should do away with the dealth penalty. I think people that commit horrific crimes should be put to death.

And lastly, Thou Shall not Kill is a law from God, and for us to follow. I know it makes sense to want to kill someone that has taken a life that was very special to others, but it doesn't stop the problem from repeating.

God still wanted us to use common sense. There are times during war when it is neccessary to kill. Likewise, when someone has committed murder, they should be punished with justice, hence killed.

One more thing, would any religious person (Catholic specifically), ever consider forgiving a murderer, if they repented. Taken to the extreme, would you pray to Charles Manson? At first glance, you might think that's nuts for me to bring up. But think about it, you pray to St. Paul. Do you know who St. Paul was before he was St. Paul?

Well, a lot of Catholics are against the dealth penalty. However, I am for it. We should pray for Charles Manson, yes, but that doesn't mean we have to like him or condone what he did. Nor does it mean we can't hope that he burns in hell. Nor does it mean we can't be glad he's suffering in prison.
 
Are you sure it costs more to kill them than put them in prison? I would think the cost of keeping someone in prison for 50+ years would be far greater than just giving them a lethal injection.

Yes. It costs signicantly more according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. furthermore, the process is far more complex than simply killing someone. You can't go around willy nill injecting people.

I realize people have been found innocent after being on death row but I don't think that is proof enough that we should do away with the dealth penalty. I think people that commit horrific crimes should be put to death.

This is a problem; you are completely in favour of killing innocent people here, even though it's unnecessary as a risk, yet you are completely against abortion. Why you are pro-death? :roll:

God still wanted us to use common sense. There are times during war when it is neccessary to kill. Likewise, when someone has committed murder, they should be punished with justice, hence killed.

Oh ok. This is nice cherry-picking. You heed the law of God absolutely when you feel like it, yet you alter it in favour of "common sense" when you no longer like its implications. That's grand. Again, you are pro-death for what you deem death is necessary, yet accuse others of being pro-death for things in which you don't agree.
 
Technocratic_Utilitarian said:
Oh ok. This is nice cherry-picking. You heed the law of God absolutely when you feel like it, yet you alter it in favour of "common sense" when you no longer like its implications. That's grand. Again, you are pro-death for what you deem death is necessary, yet accuse others of being pro-death for things in which you don't agree.

Well, I would tolerate abortion in cases of rape. To tell you the truth, If our population swelled to the point of China's, then I might be for abortion out of sheer neccessity.
 
Technocratic_Utilitarian said:
What about the "sanctity" of the child's life? After all, it's still human.:cool:

True but if it came down to the point where the Earth was so overcrowded that major natural disasters or something were going to occur, I would have no choice but to allow abortion in order to save humanity.
 
George_Washington said:
Are you sure it costs more to kill them than put them in prison? I would think the cost of keeping someone in prison for 50+ years would be far greater than just giving them a lethal injection.


http://www.mindspring.com/~phporter/econ.html

The cost of legal fees regarding death penalty situations is much higher, it's alot cheaper to house them for life.
 
kal-el said:
http://www.mindspring.com/~phporter/econ.html

The cost of legal fees regarding death penalty situations is much higher, it's alot cheaper to house them for life.
I agree with this assessment but that is due to two things...

1) The death penalty is not swift justice for "the people" due to appeals and lawyer fees...

2) The thin-skin wussies want the death penalty to be done in a "humane way" which includes doctors & medicine, which skyrockets the cost...

I say we just go down to the local NRA meeting and say "This person has been given the death sentence...who wants to blow away this ****er for free?"...
 
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