Agreed. I find it interesting that when a dangerous animal such as a bear, mountain lion, etc...comes out of the woods into a populated area we hunt them down and put them to sleep. Yet they've done nothing wrong. I view the death penalty the same way. I don't care whether it's a deterrent. I believe in removing dangerous animals from society, and I mean permanently. Please don't tell me life in prison is adequate. Dangerous criminals escape from prison all the time. And in some cases they are even given parole.

Cthree - You'll have to agree with me that life in prison and the death penalty are not exactly good examples of "reform" minded sentences. Therefore, the judge must have intended some level of punishment when imposing those sentences. I don't know if the original intent of prisons was reform or not. Personally, I do think of them as a punishment device. I was brought up to believe that there are consequences for my actions. If I do a good thing I get a good consequence. I work hard; therefore I can afford to buy an S2K. If I do a bad thing I get a bad consequence. If I commit robbery I go to jail. So prisons are just a method of enforcing consequences. The death penalty, in addition to removing a dangerous "animal" from society is the ultimate consequence for certain ultimate crimes.

 

The Govt. is not asking an eye for an eye; it only wants two eyes for 334!

Strike, amen to your animal analogy.

 

What I find most interesting is how so many people in the US are for the death penalty (yes, I know a lot are not, but the majority are) while those in Europe are predominantely against it. What drives this difference?

 

The US is the largest western country by far. It's also the most liberal in terms of weapon availability. The other thing to consider is that the US has traditionally been a society of revolution (independence, civil war) and since really we are talking about events that happened no so long ago (only a generation or two). I believe that makes US society more apt to be violent in general terms that most other western countries.

There is another thing that many Europeans don't know about the US that makes a HUGE difference in the way the capital punishment works. Murder is not a federal crime per say. Each of the 50 states can do as it likes in regard to capital punishment which for the purpose of the argument is like talking about 50 separate countries. Not all states have capital punishment and those that do don't carry it out in the same way. The US federal system is very different than the parlimentary one used in most other western nations.

That aside, I think comparing this very special incident to the death penalty in general is a mistake. If the IRA had blown up an English office tower killing 160+ people in downtown Liverpool, there would be little reluctance to hanging the fvcker that did it I suspect. This act is comparible to blowing up an airliner.

Just another $.02

 

This guy is guilty and will die. But if they kill him to soon, well never find out the entire truth. This guy and his dumass side kick are not smart enough to have done this alone. Too many loose ends that could come out later. Even the FBI had to be threatened with a search warrant to release some of the latest papers. There are a lot of people just like him out there and killing him now will only make this worse. Every year on the aniversary of the his death we'll have to hold our breath. Dying today or tomorrow, whats the difference. I am not for saving this guy, I just think that as a little more time goes by he might slip up or something new might surface and dead men tell no tales.


Le Car??? Why do you even bother!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DaveZ
[B]What I find most interesting is how so many people in the US are for the death penalty (yes, I know a lot are not, but the majority are) while those in Europe are predominantely against it.

 

TRICKS46,

The biggest militia in Michigan has been disbanded due to lack of members. Since the year 2000 has past, the members have started to leave. Why would McVeigh tell us anymore information. What would he get out of it? He is going to die, and he knows it. There is little incentive for him to come clean.

I want to know why they use clean needles though. What are you going to do, give them a disease that could kill them? I have been in the hospital, and I have gotten the "new" nurse before. They stab you numerous times trying to find a vein. Then when they do, they didn't hit it just right and hurts like heck. Once I had to ask several times for her to get the senior nurse to put the IV in. She put it in on the first try and said how easy it was to find a vein on me. I say use the deth row inmates as human pin cushions. Now they will be helping society.

Lance

 

I like our system better. At least you won't see Texas getting mad at New Mexico and beatin' the crap out of it in a war. Not exactly the way Europe has been going at it for generations, and on two occasions needed the U.S. to pull its gonads out of the embers.

 

You guys are lucky in the U.S.A.
We have no death penalty in the U.K. Our prisons are populated by child murderers and terrorist killers. If these people have committed pre meditated murder against innocent human beings, then they have forefitted their right to live on this planet and should be put to death as soon as possible (once convicted).
What really annoys me is that we have to keep them in high security establishments for many years to come at huge cost to the tax payer.
I think its important that we distinguish between people who plan to kill somebody (pre meditated) and crimes of 'passion'(manslaughter). People who commit manslaughter should not be liable to the death penalty.

 

couldn't have said it better!

BTW Chile abolished death penalty this week.
Soon there will be only terrorist gvnmts (Afghanistan, Irak...check the list above...) AND the US to keep this middle-age tradition in their judicial system!!

Why do I bother??
Because USA is the most powerful and influential country in the world, and as such, should act with wisdom and equity. But instead the image that comes through the media is one of a chaotic, ultra-violent, segregated, non-democratic country. (if anyone wants examples, just ask!).
It's just too bad... But I will continue to use Mac