Quote from: imaz on March 10, 2009, 12:40:08 PM
So would YOU be prepared to take the life of someone who has committed murder?

What right has a sane human being to take another's life?

Actually, yes.
It's the right of "self preservation". Something that I wouldn't want to see done half-assed.

Quote from: Miniar on March 10, 2009, 03:03:31 PM
Actually, yes.
It's the right of "self preservation". Something that I wouldn't want to see done half-assed.

So you are in for the "tooth for a tooth, eye for an eye" scenario?

What if the murderer concerned was already arrested, would you be prepared to execute him in person?

Hi,

   Just a reminder that the death penalty topic can become heated.  If the thread goes into that discussion, I just want to ask that people remember to be polite to each other.
   We've had this discussion before.  I'm sure it is a healthy discussion for people to have.  But please don't allow emotions to come into it (in a negative way).


Thanks,

Rebis

Fair enough.

Just like the gun issue and healthcare there is a distinct divide between European and American points of view on this issue.

For us it is inconceivable barbarity to fry someone in an electric chair or put them in a gas chamber.

We had gas chambers here in Europe in living memory, our history has changed us.

No offence meant and this is not an attempt to argue with anyone, just trying to explain the reasons for the divide.

Feel free to delete if you so wish.

Quote from: imaz on March 11, 2009, 11:25:06 AM
Fair enough.

Just like the gun issue and healthcare there is a distinct divide between European and American points of view on this issue.

For us it is inconceivable barbarity to fry someone in an electric chair or put them in a gas chamber.

We had gas chambers here in Europe in living memory, our history has changed us.

No offence meant and this is not an attempt to argue with anyone, just trying to explain the reasons for the divide.

Feel free to delete if you so wish.

How interesting. It strikes me that the "death penalty" was mostly done away with in Western Europe while the WWII generaion were still the "movers and shakers."

Perhaps seeing death up-close makes a difference in how one perceives "frying" the guilty. Or, perhaps the recognition that we are none of us very innocent of very much at all makes it easier to forgive or at least temper one's response. I wasn't particularly struck during the three years I lived in Germany by Germans and French, etc consistently finding their ways to maintain their "innocence" at all costs, the way i preceive us doing so here in USA.

You know, "well he did it first." I'm sure there are Europeans who did that, just i cnnot recall any of my friends doing exactly that and I seem to hear or read it over here at least once a day, if not much more.

I don't understand the blood-lust, either of the killers or the other killers who sentence the originals to die. It all seems neverending to me.


Nichole

It is never ending, every day has more horrific headlines, so it stands to reason that others would have another excuse.  And, that I would, and could do it, does not mean I support it, two different deals.  Life in jail is bad enough I would think.

Remember  not all Americans hold "the American" view on these issues.  I try to get away with telling people I'm from Canada (I can see it from my porch) but they don't believe me.
Myels

Quote from: imaz on March 10, 2009, 07:45:52 PM
So you are in for the "tooth for a tooth, eye for an eye" scenario?

I don't quite see it as such. It's not about vengeance at all to be hones.

Quote from: imaz on March 10, 2009, 07:45:52 PMWhat if the murderer concerned was already arrested, would you be prepared to execute him in person?

Yes I would.

I'm sorry, but to me, "human life" is just not that sacred.
I am fully aware that people may take offense to my opinion, but it is my opinion. We are several billions of people and we allow our fellow human beings to starve to death (even in the streets of some cities) while there are enough resources available to us as a species to keep every last one of us fed, which I have to say is over a million times worse than taking the life of a killer could ever be in my eyes. We treat each other like dogs, 'cept when it comes to two things. If the dog would become sick and have no hope of surviving the illness, we think it the humane thing to do to allow the animal to die and not suffer being kept alive for as long as possible. And - If the dog goes mad and attacks a human being, we kill it, plain and simple for being a threat to human life.
Personally, I think death can be a better choice for people as well in these situations. Should I contract an illness that will without fail put me through a slow and painful death, I want the respect to be allowed to die. If I flip out and start causing grievous physical harm to people (I don't even have to kill anyone for this) I would like people to have the respect for themselves to have me put down (and thus keep themselves safe from me).
I would take these consequences myself, I would give them out myself, I honestly believe that this is the right thing to do. It's not about "an eye for an eye" to me, but about just plain old "respect".

I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but it's simply my opinion.

:edit: I also believe that holding anything in captivity in the manner that we hold prisoners "for life" is inhumane and not a "life". You can not have "life" in prison, only bare survival. And that alone makes me feel that if it were I, I would rather get that respect as an individual to be executed than to suffer "life" in prison, which to me is a fate worse than death. :/edit:

I'm speechless...