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Why against death penalty?

Without death penalty, prisons would be overloaded. Criminals would be released to make room for new criminals and many of these criminals who were sentenced for life for murdering or raping someone would be roaming the streets where you live. lots of tax money is wasted on these criminals, people who plan to murder would have nothing to fear since they are guaranteed they won't get any harsh punishment and that would increase the crime rate. And the planet is already over populated, so why not get rid of the rotten apples?

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Permalink Reply by David Prentice on April 29, 2010 at 8:42pm

True Maggie and Jezzy. And, as a volunteer telephone counsellor, I can testify to the many people who have been ready to end their lives but changed their minds when they had the chance to get through that phase and re-establish the meaning in their lives that made them want to live on. Noah, if you're talking euthanasia then there's some merit to not "demonising it", but to let someone end their life when they're depressed, grief-stricken, feeling hopeless etc because they deserve the choice? Man, you have a lot to learn about psychology.

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Permalink Reply by Bo R Moore on April 28, 2010 at 1:50pm

Ancient cultures (Rome, etc.) would judge us insane to spend $30,000 per prisoner, per year to feed, clothe and house inmates, when we spend maybe, $10,000. per year / per public school student. People who have 20-page rap sheets for armed robbery, attempted murder, etc. are not likely "innocent victims" of the legal system. Prisoners ought to be required to support themselves in prison. Don't we have an island somewhere that the worst could be sent to permanently? As for the death penalty, I think anyone who molests or abuses a child ought to be executed in public, so that children KNOW we will protect them. As for other crimes? No. Too many people are coerced into confessing murder or convicted without evidence by stupid juries.

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Permalink Reply by Bo R Moore on April 29, 2010 at 8:01am

Yes it is useful to compare us to an Ancient culture (Rome), which was successful for far longer than we have existed (try 1000 years). Our legal system is based on their contract law and republican form of government, our engineering, public works, and basic infrastucture come from them also. Try law & order, free trade, and social mobility. Oh yeah - and they weren't racist like us. It's disturbing to see that atheists are as ignorant of history and cultural origins as fundamentalist religionists.

As for child rapists - how many do we actually catch and stop? How many times do we see a molestor arrested who has multiple previous arrests and convictions? How many drug addicts and criminals were abused as children? The cycle just goes on and on. YES, we must protect children. If we can't do that, what kind of low-lifes are we? Americans want to talk tough, but where's the proof of conviction?

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Permalink Reply by David Prentice on April 29, 2010 at 3:21pm

Oh, thank you SO much John. I couldn't have said it better. But then, by comparison, I AM ignorant regarding the origins of modern engineering practices. I wouldn't, however, say that I'm "as ignorant of history and cultural origins as fundamentalist religionists". Fundamentalists tend, by their very nature, to be blinkered to historical facts. Facts tend to undermine the credibility of scripture. Scripture is the anchor of fundamentalist's faith. Without faith there is NO RELIGION.

The very nature of atheism leans towards free thought and investigation of historical facts, so as to deconstruct the fallacies of the christian culture we live in, which was inherited from - let me think - oh yes, the romans. Clever bunch, them romans ;)

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Permalink Reply by Bo R Moore on April 29, 2010 at 4:56pm

This brief encounter with fellow atheists says the opposite: atheists are every bit as vulnerable to irrational thinking as religious people. They just think that the label atheist makes them intelligent, open-minded, and educated. Wrong.

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Permalink Reply by Jim DePaulo on April 28, 2010 at 2:26pm

Oh yeah, nothing could be more comforting to a traumatized child than watching a public execution - and as long as you mentioned Rome how about public crucifiction, that would be so soothing.

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Permalink Reply by Arnold on April 29, 2010 at 11:11am

Everything has unintended consequences. Public execution as an abstraction has a satisfying ring to some, because we think certain people deserve it. But I would not allow any child for whom I am responsible to witness such a display. It brutalizes them and if they are told it is because of them (to protect them, get even for what was done to them, etc.) there is no way to control how they interpret that. The child may actually feel guilt for causing someone else to be killed. The cost of incarcerating an inmate for life is less than the process of taking him/her through a capital trial, appeals and confinement on death row.

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Permalink Reply by Maggie on April 29, 2010 at 6:17am

We have not death penalty in Australia and the prisons aren't so overpopulated that we need to release prisoners, there are no rapist roaming the streets near me.

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Permalink Reply by Bo R Moore on April 29, 2010 at 8:18am

Unfortunately, the United States is a violent country that sends mixed messages to young citizens. Turn on the TV: it's non-stop over-the-top senseless brutality, glorification of drug use, infantile reliance on uncontrolled emotion. Pop culture raises criminals to wealth and status. The American religious right pretends none of it is their doing, even though they comprise the majority of the population. I suppose it's Atheists, who are 1% of the population, who are doing all the "bad stuff?" Guns are EVERYWHERE - it's so easy for kids to grab one and shoot over a fit of anger. Here's the dirty secret: white Americans don't really care that black Americans are killing each other with drugs and guns, or that a large population of black males will spend their lives in prison.

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Permalink Reply by Maggie on May 2, 2010 at 6:11am

Much is the same in Australia, although we don't have the right to bear arms.

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Permalink Reply by Scott on April 29, 2010 at 11:30am

Repeat violent offenders are like cancer, they should be given a good dose of radiation and killed off. We as a society have decided that certain things are not acceptable. There is a learning curve, however if someone knowingly continues to violate the guidelines something should be done. I'm bypassing all the tedious talk about mental defects and the criminally insane as that is a different issue. We're talking about people with full control of their mental facilities.

"Here's the dirty secret: white Americans don't really care that black Americans are killing each other with drugs and guns, or that a large population of black males will spend their lives in prison."

I don't care. You don't have to follow in the foot steps of those before you. If they want to live like that then let them. I have no sympathy for them. I don't believe in affirmative action. I believe that you should be hired, given grants, scholarships ect based on your merit. So yes I believe that people should be looked at equally until you come down to the specific requirements for any given task. If someone is chosen over me it should be because they are better qualified to perform and based on that completely.

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Permalink Reply by Scott on April 29, 2010 at 5:04pm

The discussion has been about the Death Penalty. I think we are all smart enough to know that you don't execute a mentally ill person for something they did while suffering from delusions or imbalances.
I don't see the need to keep people that knowingly murder others for their own motive around. Sure keep a few for study or what not.
What it comes down to is if the offender is in no way handicapped mentally and murdered with full knowledge of the possible punishment why not visit that same crime back on them? Do we not require monetary reparations from thieves and vandals? Is that not counter balancing the damage or loss with payment? How much is a life worth? You could go to the black market and find out, humans are for sale. So if you kill someone do you pay the going rate? Is a life for a life unreasonable? Punishments of death have been around far longer than Christianity.
I don't see it as a deterrent to crime. Its a punishment. Why should the onus of incarceration be placed on those of us that haven't committed the crime. If someone is too dangerous to be allowed out, why keep them caged for life.