So let me get this straight. You’re against the death penalty because killing others, even vile monsters, is always wrong. Because when one person kills another, “it devalues us all.” But you also want to criticize mid-20th century Americans for hanging around watching Europeans killing Europeans and not “swinging into action” earlier.
How exactly, pray tell, would you have the Americans convince the Europeans to stop killing each other? Begging really hard? Holding their breath and stomping around until Europe stopped? Bribing them with chocolates?
Or can you think of a more direct, effective method?
Truth hurts does it? If you judge yourself by the company you keep then what are we to think when we see your fellow death penalty bedfellows?
and…your point is? that someone has to lead the way and others lag behind? if so, I agree. Who is lagging behind now?
And sanctimonious? I’m full of criticism for the failings of my own country. Our libel laws for one are a disgrace. If this thread were on that subject you’d find me lauding your own system, how about that eh?
I know it is none of my business, but I work in the USA and with its citizens all the time and my posting here is a way of expressing my astonishment. Hey, do what you want but I think you, as a country can be better than that.
No, not the “worst of the worst” at all. You don’t have universal healthcare and many in your population suffer because of it, you have the death penalty in 37 out 50 states, you have 5% of the world population and 25% of the prison population. I’m not cherry picking here, those are the bald facts. You have some serious issues in those areas.
Just so we are clear here. The family of the man murdered, James Byrd Jr. have spoken out repeatedly against the death penalty in this case. The family did not want to see Brewer killed.
You just don’t get that it is not America of the united states. Universal healthcare and national edicts aren’t what this country is about. First and foremost I am a Minnesotan. Damn proud that my state saw the light on capital punishment more than half a century before merry old England. Damn proud that we have long had and continue to have some of the best access to healthcare in the country.
The US prison system as a whole is completely out of whack, but be careful where you are slinging those stones.
Anybody wonder if/how Curtis/Qin’s posting style is gonna change once he discovers masturbation? (Besides the obvious change of increased typos while he gets used to a braille keyboard after God smites him blind for it.)
Either the USA does or does not allow executions, which is it? As a US citizen you can be tried, convicted and executed within your national borders.
I’m leaving the healthcare debate as that is a full derail in itself, but suffice to say that unless the Minnesotan system is substantially different from the rest of the country then it suffers in comparison to most other developed nations.
Does having a less than perfect incarceration figures mean I cannot point out the significantly worse ones in the USA?
Does having a slightly flat tyre on my car mean I can’t tell you your wheels have fallen off?
You should quit believing what the media decides to tell you.
I am not a Christian - what are you going to blame for my delight that this person was executed? And, FTR, the rest of your post is too over the top and full of holes to respond to.
Why should the rest of society have to pay for the highly illegal and immoral acts of others?
So, your problems have to be our problems now? You can’t be happy someone did something, you gotta bitch that it wasn’t soon enough or good enough or whatever the hell your problem is?
Apparently you aren’t familar with the conditions on death row.
I am-at least in Texas on the Polunsky unit at Livingston.
Inmates do not have access to television. At best, they have a radio in their cells.
Inmates do not play chess or checkers with other inmates-they are held in isolation with very limited access to exercise weekly.
Inmates do not have 3 square meals a day. Yes, they are fed but the food is the very cheapest possible.
Inmates are allowed one visit per week-not to exceed two hours and two visitors.
Inmates are allowed ten names on their visitor list at one time and they must be approved.
Livingston is not close to any major cities whicdh makes it difficult for the families of the prisoners to visit regularly.
There is a dress code for all visitors-one which bars women from wearing any shorts even in the middle of a Texas summer.
All books must be new and mailed directly from a bookseller.
All books must be approved.
No books or magazines may contain any sort of nudity.
I could go on but I can assure you life on the Polunsky unit has no resemblance to comfortable atmosphere you describe.
You’re not in a position to tell me what I am or am not okay with.
So you don’t believe a state has the right to impose the death sentence. It happens that I do. As far as I can see, that’s pretty much that. You can be as pissy as you want, but I have thought about my position at least as much as you have yours and come to a different conclusion. And yet I still manage to be civil about it. Odd.
I don’t pretend to have all the answers, and it appears this subject is obviously WAY more important to you than it is to me because I really don’t see the point in the nastiness. As far as my being monstrous? Give me a break. First of all, that whole “you don’t know anything about me IRL” would seem to apply. And your desire to see our murderer die a painful natural death doesn’t seem any less monstrous to me than someone else being okay with his execution.
I was interested in your point previously, regarding you waiting for the rest of the country to catch up. I fear that as long as the death penalty can be dangled as a political teaser, it will be difficult to repeal it fully.
Fact is, were the UK to have an open, straight majority referendum on capital punishment there is a good chance that the “yes” vote would win.
I don’t know how to feel about that. I acknowledge it merely to point out that I don’t presume an inherent moral or ethical superiority in the UK. We are all subject to human vengeful tendencies.
I suspect that our more unilateral political system makes abolition an easier option than in the states. Though it runs counter to my democratic core, in this case I think having power of veto over the public’s gut reaction is a good thing.
Accepting Jewish refugees would have been a start. I’m not going to get into a hijack about the Holocaust but I will say there is a difference between aid and violence, and between killing as part of war (which nearly everyone agrees is tragic, as far as I can tell), and a state killing its own citizens in peacetime and calling it “justice”.
I suspect that after being told that he makes Jesus sick, he’s unlikely to stick his head above the parapet again here. I guarantee that this isn’t the thread he was expecting to ensue.
