Off_White Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 You had a funny post with an interesting thought, but you didn't do a whole lot of research. Oh, I know the bible is a contradictory document, much translated and open to interpretation. It's marvelously malleable and useful, which contributes to both the longevity of the document and the multibranched religious mutations it has spawned. It's also likely my understanding of both the importance and content of the ten commandments owes more to Charlton Heston than anything remotely resembling biblical scholarship. Still, you gotta admit that "What part of "thou shalt not kill" didn't you understand?" makes a dandy soundbite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Then cj001f said: A life of captivity would be infinitely worse to me than death. WTF do you care anyways? I think life in prison would be worse than death. Guess I'm just not big on "vengeance" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badvoodoo Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 I think it would be cool for prisons to have some sort of work program to help people return to society and to help subsidize the expenses of the prisons. But there's a fine line between a work program and the gulag. I think there's a lot to be said for reinstating chain gangs. Put 'em to work, don't just leave them sitting in a building trading cigarettes, shivs, and sexual favors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fern Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Jail overcrowding isn't jail overcrowding largely due to "3 Strikes" laws which result in life sentences for repeated relatively minor offenses (eg. drug possession). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderfour Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 3 strikes and drug offenses... Don't get me started on that. I think it would be cool for prisons to have some sort of work program to help people return to society and to help subsidize the expenses of the prisons. But there's a fine line between a work program and the gulag. You mean like the much maligned Omega Pacific program? Personnally, I'm all for inmate labor. I really don't care if it is taking advantage of them. Think of all the work that the states could get done with that workforce. Local governments would love to have prisons around for the cheap (free) labor. I don't agree with the way we currently dole out the death penalty. Although it has improved greatly over the past forty years, it still isn't 100% accurate. That doesn't mean that we should get rid of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 I don't agree with the way we currently dole out the death penalty. Although it has improved greatly over the past forty years, it still isn't 100% accurate. That doesn't mean that we should get rid of it. So my friend says to me, "My cousin has gone a little loopy, she's convinced she's a chicken. Cackles all day, scratches at the ground, and has a nice nest going." "Why don't you ship her off to the mental institution, she needs some help," I reply. "WHAT, are you nuts? We need the eggs." I dunno, its what came to mind, just thought I'd share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzack Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Most of these people are very smart, otherwise they wouldn't have gotten away with so much. They probably wouldn't have too much trouble convincing the system that they are "reformed" or "cured" when in fact, they aren't. Criminals that get caught are for the most part dumb. That's why they get caught. How exactly is someone sentanced to life w/o parole going to get out? What part of "breaking out of prison and going on a sorority killing spree" do you fail to understand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary_Yngve Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 How exactly is someone sentanced to life w/o parole going to get out? What part of "breaking out of prison and going on a sorority killing spree" do you fail to understand? http://slate.msn.com/id/1007001/ The folks that break out of prison aren't usually the mass murderer type. Throw someone in 24-hour lockdown at Walla Walla and they ain't goin' nowhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndavidjr Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 People who administer the death penalty are the same ones who administer the motor vehicles department. The cases people have mentioned seem all highly exceptional and not particularly relevant. Re. abortion: Necessity requires people to make all sorts of unpleasant compromises, lawful or otherwise. "Touching the Void" comes to mind. ---- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 The death penalty's barbaric, whether or not innocent people are being executed. The fact that innocent people have been executed just highlights the barbarity. And no, I'm not saying we should go easy on murderers. But the death penalty doesn't work as a deterrent and it's morally indefensible...just like torture. I oppose the death penalty in practice (many reasons)but have no problem with the principle that underlies it, namely, that some acts deserve the maximum penalty -death. Whether or not this serves as a deterrent to those intent on commiting other crimes is largely irrelevant - what matters is that the person committed the crime gets the punishment that they deserve. Further - most who argue against the death penalty on the grounds that "taking a human life is always immoral," or "now the state has reduced itself to the killer's level" are missing an elementary distinction between physical and moral equivalence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 You are WAY more likely to put to death if you kill a white woman regardless of your race. You WAY less likely to be put to death if you kill a black man. Especially funny in light of the fact that Winter is a minority. Weak and lame fairweather. Subconscious racism expressed in your syntax, Winter? That's strange. I read his bio on the website for the enviro-organization he works for. (He once posted a link.) The accompanying photo showed him to be a whitey like everyone else on this site. Nice try. Do you wipe his ass for him too, RBW? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 FW are you talking about this picture? I can see how could make the mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeezix Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 I've had a lot of time to think about the death penalty. I was Lee Malvo's English teacher for three months a couple of years back. He was, at that time, an exceptionally nice kid --active participant, uncommonly polite, articulate and intelligent. I mean he was exceptional. He was in a class I taught called College Writing. For his substantiated essay topic he was researching global warming. Then he went to the east coast and shot a whole bunch of people. When they caught him ...I couldn't figure it out. Still can't. My guess is that Muhammed (the older guy) brainwashed him completely. During the months they lived in Bellingham, I frequently spotted them walking the streets. Malvo introduced Muhammed to me in the school counseling office. I shook his hand and looked him in the eye. Seemed like a nice guy. Psychopath. I was glad Malvo didn't get the death penalty. To this day I believe that the influence of the older man was a mitigating circumstance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 I am glad the smart people post here to edumacate me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double_E Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 whoa! get outta here Skeezix! no kidding. wow. :speechless: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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