So, I don't discuss issues like THIS on here very often, as it's not particularly interesting to me, with the the latest in botched executions, I feel like I should give my views.
Abolish it. It's the 21st century. The idea is regressive and barbaric. I understand that from an originalist's perspective, it's not cruel and unusual punishment, but it seems pretty cruel and unusual today.
The death penalty appeals to our most base instincts, the idea of revenge and the idea of murderous rage against someone who does wrong. I understand such feelings, but I believe we should rise above that.
When I was a conservative christian, this was the one position I was left on and it was because Jesus preached forgiveness. Even as a secularist I still believe that assuming there are better ways to deal with the issue, like life in prison, that we should pursue that instead. Does killing the person bring the person they killed back? No, it just makes more people dead. It is just a feel good revenge thing. And I would say the right to life is more important than that, even for murderers.
It doesn't even deter people. In order for deterrence to be effective, punishment needs to be swift, certain, and severe. The death penalty isnt swift, the dude above committed his crime back in the 80s and is only being executed now. And it's not certain. Severe, yes but that's all it has going for it.
It's not cheaper. The death penalty legal costs are more expensive and costly than just letting them live. Again, why do you think he was on death row for 35 years, or most of my life.
It's had racist applications in the past and given how racist policing can be, it still probably is.
Apparently 4% of death row people put to death are innocent. We probably shouldn't do this with less than a 100% correctness rate.
It's NOT humane. This was supposed to be but the guy was trying to remove the mask and was clearly struggling. Lethal injection gets botched sometimes too. As does the electric chair. Stuff like firing squad and guillotine likely arent perfect either and are kind of gruesome. Killing someone is "cruel and unusual", who knew?
I mean, it's not a good idea. it's just a feel good vengeful thing. Wanting to get back at someone who murdered another. I know some people just dont have empathy for criminals. Fair I guess. but I believe everyone deserves a right to life if possible. I mean if we were back in like the tribal days and some dude was just too dangerous to let live, I mean, go for it, i guess, but in a civilized society of laws, and criminal justice procedures, nah. Life in prison is fine to me. If they get shot due to fighting with cops or something, fair I guess, but as far as the death penalty itself goes? Nah. If you apprehended them, let them live.
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