Thread: Why the Death Penalty is a Good Thing

The Death Penalty is a consequence. End of story.

Those that commit murder and rape and such forfeit their lives as a matter of fact, not as an emotional vengence or anything else, their life is not worth anything, so it is ended. Done.

The fact is, that by exacting the highest penalty for the taking of human life we are affirming the highest value of human life.

Originally Posted by Bodhisattva

The Death Penalty is a consequence. End of story.

Those that commit murder and rape and such forfeit their lives as a matter of fact, not as an emotional vengence or anything else, their life is not worth anything, so it is ended. Done.

The fact is, that by exacting the highest penalty for the taking of human life we are affirming the highest value of human life.

Death in and of itself means nothing, many even embrace it, and when death is eminent with no chance of escape, death is calmly accepted by everyone with no emotion. So death as a deterrent or threat doesn't work in real life, only in novels and movies.

ricksfolly

Originally Posted by Bodhisattva

The fact is, that by exacting the highest penalty for the taking of human life we are affirming the highest value of human life.

Nice doublethink.

Originally Posted by ricksfolly

Death in and of itself means nothing, many even embrace it, and when death is eminent with no chance of escape, death is calmly accepted by everyone with no emotion. So death as a deterrent or threat doesn't work in real life, only in novels and movies.

ricksfolly

The Death Penalty is not a deterrent, it is a consequence. Read it again...

Originally Posted by SE102

Nice doublethink.

It is actually quite logical...

Originally Posted by SE102

Nice doublethink.

Saw right through me, huh. Give yourself a pat on the back. You're the only one who has?

ricksfolly

Originally Posted by Bodhisattva

The Death Penalty is not a deterrent, it is a consequence. Read it again...

No, it isn't. Get rid of plea bargains and maybe you'd have a case.

Originally Posted by Bodhisattva

The fact is, that by exacting the highest penalty for the taking of human life we are affirming the highest value of human life.

That doesn't follow. If life is so valuable then we should not be committing the same act of murder to balance out a previous act of murder. That, and it's an expensive, unproductive punishment because it is not curbing the crime rate in any meaningful way. It has failed as a deterrent.

Finally, I wouldn't want my tax dollars paying for such procedures. Maybe you are comfortable with that. If that's the case, then you can donate money to the judicial system that carries out the death penalty. My dollars should not pay for your vengeance.

The best way to treat criminals is to transform them into non-criminals. It takes the least amount of energy, money, and does not burden society with the negative karma of having killed them. Those that cannot be saved should be put away at our expense, since we as a society and system have failed them. That is the burden of a civilized community.

Originally Posted by Bodhisattva

It is actually quite logical...

In fact it is not. If you're going to claim affirmation of human life having value above all else, then the death penalty is exactly counter to that. If you really believe in the high value of human life, then all human life is considered equal and highly valued. Thus the focus would be on rehabilitation, not death. The route you go is not an affirmation of human life, however. That is clear by the willingness to take life. Your route is the route of the "eye for an eye". Which is ironic given the reason why that ancient law was constructed. In short, it was made to LIMIT the amount of punishment which was handed out to criminals. In our current state of societal evolution, there is no longer a need for the death penalty. If you wish to affirm the high value of human life, then you will focus on preserving and proliferating it; not ending it. In that case, counseling and rehabilitation would be your goal for prison. Otherwise, it's just a misguided notion of "eye for an eye"; which does in fact line up exactly with your rhetoric.

Originally Posted by ricksfolly

Saw right through me, huh. Give yourself a pat on the back. You're the only one who has?

ricksfolly

Ummm... the quote wasnt of anything you said so I dont know what you mean. Unless I am missing something.