The premise being posited is that because one person died, the cables encourage people to climb Half Dome who shouldn't be, and if we take the cables down it will somehow save lives. I think more people would die if you took the cables off, which would negate that premise. Moreover, one death out of thousands who go up and down those cables every year hardly warrants this (over!)reaction. Furthermore, as has been pointed out, the person who died was on half dome outside the normal hiking season when the cables were already "down" for the winter, and suggesting this was no "touron" who "didn't belong there".
For the hiker/climber who died: requiescat in pace.