# If Timothy McVeigh's Execution Were Televised, Would You Watch?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-timothy-mcveighs-execution-were-televised-would-you-watch/55013>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 18, 2001, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-timothy-mcveighs-execution-were-televised-would-you-watch/55013 "2001-02-18T21:12:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-timothy-mcveighs-execution-were-televised-would-you-watch/55013/61 "2001-05-03T23:22:03Z")

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I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch, but if I was flipping around and caught it I might watch out of morbid curiosity. I am for the death penalty, with reservations. I know that sometimes innocent people have been given the death sentence, and that it is not applied fairly. But I feel that it is appropriate for people like McVeigh, who commit heinous crimes without remorse. I don’t agree with the deterrence argument, except that an executed criminal will not be around to commit more crimes. However, it is a horrible thing to take a human life, even the life of a murderer. I feel no joy in thinking about McVeigh’s death sentence.

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