# Making the Case for the Death Penalty (RO) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 25, 2008, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417 "2008-11-25T13:03:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/1 "2008-11-25T13:03:47Z")
Over here: [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24535959-5017077,00.html](http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24535959-5017077,00.html) is an update on the case of Josef Fritzl, the guy who locked his daughter in a cellar for 24 years, fathering a number of children with her. It seems the little guy dreamed up his scheme while in prison (for 18 months) for a knife-point rape. He figured if he locked up his daughter he could do the Mr Hyde thing while living the whole Doctor Jeckle lifestyle topside. Of course the reason he did all this is obvious. His family was dysfunctional. His mother mistreated him. The only bright spot in this is that at least he was not an English language instructor. I swear, I get all righteous and argue against the death penalty, but then someone comes along so darn evil that he cannot be allowed to live. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/2 "2008-11-25T14:46:32Z")
> [@](#): > > Three of the surviving children were allowed to live upstairs with him and wife, Rosemarie, 69, while their three siblings were condemned to a secret, shadowy existence with their mother in the cellar Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/3 "2008-11-25T14:54:46Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Yes, how come they didn’t wonder where the rest of the family had disappeared to? ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/4 "2008-11-25T16:35:05Z")
Huh, I don’t feel that just because an example is highly emotive and outrageous it obliterates the many, many reasons why the death penalty is immoral and untenable. Funny thing. It’s almost like…people often feel strong emotions, but that’s why we base our modern ethical system off intellectual consideration rather than raw feeling? ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/5 "2008-11-25T16:54:31Z")
My arguement in favor of the death penalty is strictly pragmatic. I have no moral problem with it, but in some cases it is not worth the expense. This is one of those cases. I do not believe Weiner Fritzl should get death for one simple reason: he will die before it becomes a cost advantage. If he were in his 30s, I’d say go ahead and execute him…since 50 years or so in max security prison would be costly. But given his age, he will likely die before the appeals process is over, so it’s a complete waste of money. But of course this arguement is merely for sport since Austria doesn’t have the death penalty anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/6 "2008-11-25T17:24:34Z")
We had a thread no too long ago about this very phenomenon, something along the lines of “If you’re not in favor of the death penalty except for specific circumstances, then you’re for the death penalty.” As for me, I just want to know what the hell the **(RO)** I keep seeing means. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/7 "2008-11-25T17:28:31Z")
To paraphrase Penn Gillette " If Google was responsible for running the death penalty, I would be OK with it. Google doesn’t seem to fuck up very much." There are a lot of folks that richly deserve to punted off the face of the earth (like this jackoff, and the jackoff’s wife, who allowed her daughter to be held in a celler as a sex slave for 24 years), but governments are too corrupt\incompetent to find the right folks on any consistant basis. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/8 "2008-11-25T17:31:08Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > We had a thread no too long ago about this very phenomenon, something along the lines of “If you’re not in favor of the death penalty except for specific circumstances, then you’re for the death penalty.” I’m actually for the death penalty anyway, so I have no problem saying guys like this should be put down. > [@](#): > > As for me, I just want to know what the hell the **(RO)** I keep seeing means. Recreational Outrage. It indicates that you’re pissed about something that doesn’t have anything to do with your life and that you have no real stake in the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/9 "2008-11-25T17:32:24Z")
Thank you! That’s been driving me nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/10 "2008-11-25T17:32:36Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > As for me, I just want to know what the hell the **(RO)** I keep seeing means. Recreational outrage. There was a very minor kerfluffle in the Pit about it at one point, as some folks were getting annoyed by people constantly posting horrific news stories, at which everyone would then gather around to _tsk_ about the awfulness of it all. So it has become something of a polite convention to label such stories with an **RO** , so that those who find such things irritating can avoid them. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/11 "2008-11-25T17:35:07Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > As for me, I just want to know what the hell the **(RO)** I keep seeing means. Recreational Outrage. ETA: not fast enough. ---
**Author:** ![sockswsandals](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@sockswsandals](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sockswsandals)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/12 "2008-11-25T17:41:32Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Yes, how come they didn’t wonder where the rest of the family had disappeared to? This was originally discussed on these boards [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=465908&highlight=fritzl). There is a link in that thread which discusses some of the lengths he went to so that he could conceal this deception. The [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritzl_case) page also has good informaiton on this. Basically, for those who do not wish to slog through the links, he explained the appearances of the additional children by stating that the daughter who disappeared had, in fact, run away, and that she was leaving the children that she mothered on his doorstep to take care of them. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/13 "2008-11-25T17:47:14Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > It seems the little guy dreamed up his scheme while in prison (for 18 months) for a knife-point rape. From Wikipedia > [@](#): > > On November 13, 2008, authorities in Austria released an indictment against Josef Fritzl. He will stand trial for the murder of the infant Michael, who died shortly after birth.[38], and faces between 10 years and life imprisonment. He has also been charged with rape, incest, kidnap, false imprisonment and slavery, which carry a maximum 20-year term. At the very least, it makes a case for giving rapists more than 18 months in prison and making serial rape/kidnapping/false imprisonment/slavery worthy of a sentence longer than 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![sinical\_brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@sinical\_brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinical_brit)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/14 "2008-11-26T13:31:07Z")
We have our own [newly discoverd](http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/nov/26/british-fritzl-daughter-rape) version of Fritzl. "An investigation has been launched into the failings of police and social services in the case of a father who made his two daughters pregnant 19 times during almost 30 years of rape and physical abuse. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was given 25 life sentences yesterday. He will serve a minimum of 19 years and six months in prison." Disgusting, yes. But you wont see much ‘hang him’ outcry in Britain. The state killing people to save money doesnt seem like a particularly good plan to me. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/15 "2008-11-26T14:40:34Z")
> [@sinical\_brit](#): > > The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was given 25 life sentences yesterday. He will serve a minimum of 19 years and six months in prison." I never understand Prison Sentence Math. 25\*life = 19.5? ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/16 "2008-11-26T15:04:48Z")
> [@sinical\_brit](#): > > Disgusting, yes. But you wont see much ‘hang him’ outcry in Britain. The state killing people to save money doesnt seem like a particularly good plan to me. I disagree. Go read some of the comments on the “Baby P” case that are online (facebook, the sun, daily mail etc). Compare with the Maxine Carr / Ian Huntley case, or James Bulger. It tends only to be certain cases that trigger it, but the british public in full “string-'em-up” roar can be pretty terrifying. ---
**Author:** ![sinical\_brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@sinical\_brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinical_brit)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/17 "2008-11-26T15:10:20Z")
Youre not supposed to Sailboat. I sometimes think its there just for the tabloids ! Actually , i think its just a legal statement of when the prisoner is allowed to 1st ask for parole. The parole board will then look at his notes, see the small problem of his 25 life sentances, and [del]release[/del] deny him parole. ---
**Author:** ![FarmerChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@FarmerChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FarmerChick)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/18 "2008-11-26T15:11:39Z")
My reasoning for the death penalty is simple. We put down vicious dogs, so we should put down vicious people. Sad to say but there really are people that are just pure evil with no redeeming qualities at all. They serve no purpose, and they are a risk to society as a whole that we do not need. Hell there’s a reason I like most animals better then people… ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/19 "2008-11-26T15:15:27Z")
Some people are too dangerous to be kept behind bars. He’s not one of them. Let him rot in prison for the rest of his life. ---
**Author:** ![sinical\_brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@sinical\_brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinical_brit)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417/20 "2008-11-26T15:16:22Z")
Fair point Wallenstein ( good to see another Brit on the SDMB ! ), but its hardly an ongoing pressure from lobby groups. I really cant see any political party even daring to mention this as a policy change. As you say it rears its head only when there is a very big, emotional case, which the media decides to run with. Laws should not me made by emotional people. They are too important. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-the-case-for-the-death-penalty-ro/474417.md?page=2)