# Poll: the death penalty, and your experience with death **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 19, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577 "2008-08-19T18:30:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/1 "2008-08-19T18:30:04Z")
Debate threads about the death penalty seem to be popping up a lot lately, and as I’ve read them, I’ve become kinda curious about something. You don’t necessarily have to oppose the death penalty to contribute, but in truth I’m most interested in hearing from DP opponents. Again, this is just a poll, not a place to start a debate; if you want to debate the death penalty, please go to an active thread in Great Debates. Now, on to the poll. There are only two questions: 1. Are you FOR or AGAINST capital punishment (the death penalty)? 2. Have you ever killed a living animal, or helped to butcher a recently-killed animal? Explain. My own answers: 3. For 4. On numerous occasions while growing up, I helped to kill countless chickens, turkeys, rabbits, and goats on the family farm. In addition, one of my primary duties one summer at my grandmother’s farm was shooting barn swallows. I’ve never been hunting, more for lack of opportunity than lack of interest. And of course I’ve caught and cleaned a large number of fish. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/2 "2008-08-19T18:36:43Z")
1. Against. 2. I’ve agreed to have a dog put to sleep. I was not present at the time. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/3 "2008-08-19T18:36:43Z")
1. Against. 2. Yes. I squish bugs, smash mice whenever possible, and boil the occasional lobster. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/4 "2008-08-19T18:36:59Z")
1. For 2. I’ve killed insects ---
**Author:** ![BrknButterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BrknButterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrknButterfly)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/5 "2008-08-19T18:37:08Z")
[QUOTE=Max Torque] 1. Are you FOR or AGAINST capital punishment (the death penalty)? 2. Have you ever killed a living animal, or helped to butcher a recently-killed animal? Explain. [/QUOTE] I am for capital punishment Okay, so I forgot insects. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/6 "2008-08-19T18:40:21Z")
1. against 2. yes, I’ve shot some animals with a .22 and run over a few animals. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/7 "2008-08-19T18:44:51Z")
1. Against. 2. I’ve killed snakes when I was a kid. Caught and cleaned fish. Indirectly: I’ve requested vets to euthanize 4 of my ferrets, and been there for 3 of the deaths. Helped butcher freshly-shot deer. I’ve skinned and dissected a dead cat for a biology class, but that wasn’t a freshly-dead animal. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/8 "2008-08-19T18:46:57Z")
1. For 2. Every day. It is a part of what I do for a living. ---
**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/9 "2008-08-19T18:56:29Z")
1. Against 2. Have killed insects, sometimes with something approaching glee. (There have been lot of annoying flies in my house this summer.) Indirectly, I recently had my cat euthanized, while I held her, for a chronic (as opposed to an acute) illness. She wasn’t at death’s door, but she was never truly well either, and at 16, she wasn’t going to get any better. ---
**Author:** ![FourPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e0b2c6/32.png) [@FourPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FourPaws)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/10 "2008-08-19T18:57:34Z")
1. Four. Uh, I mean, for. 2. Insects to rabid animals, and a lot in between. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/11 "2008-08-19T18:57:37Z")
1. Formerly for. Now against. (For only about a year or two probably.) 2. As a kid we did what most little boys do to snakes, frogs, insects and the like. But no, I’ve never killed any warm-blooded, sentient animal. Well, I have set mouse traps before, come to think of it. Can’t say I like finding the dead mice the next day, but hey, it’s my house and the alternatives are not pleasant. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/12 "2008-08-19T19:06:56Z")
[QUOTE=Max Torque] Now, on to the poll. There are only two questions: 1. Are you FOR or AGAINST capital punishment (the death penalty)? 2. Have you ever killed a living animal, or helped to butcher a recently-killed animal? Explain. [/QUOTE] 3. For. 4. I’ve killed bugs and mice. I’ve gone out with the intent to shoot foxes, but they didn’t show up. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/13 "2008-08-19T19:54:35Z")
1. Against 2. Yes ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/14 "2008-08-19T20:00:37Z")
[ol][li]ForI have shot varmints (squirrels, rabbits), and killed various other critters, like chipmunks. I assisted my father (he is a veterinarian) in euthanizing any number of animals. [/ol][/li]Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/15 "2008-08-19T20:02:51Z")
1. Against 2. I squash bugs every now and again but I’ve never killed anything bigger than that. I helped butcher a cow once or twice but I wasn’t there when they killed it. (helped is a bit of a stretch - every now and again my uncle would let me do something small) ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/16 "2008-08-19T20:03:55Z")
\*\*1. Against \*\* 1. No. (bugs and insects are not animals (mammals), and for that matter fresh and saltwater fish aren’t either. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/17 "2008-08-19T20:06:35Z")
1. For 2. Yes ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/18 "2008-08-19T20:07:28Z")
1. Against. 2. I kill bugs. I suppose I’ve hit animals with my car a time or two. Probably gutted fish the couple of times I went fishing as a kid. So, probably not what the OP is looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/19 "2008-08-19T20:33:01Z")
1. Against. 2. Yes, mostly rabbits. There were also dissections (of animals we killed ourselves, except for the kittens but I don’t want to turn people’s stomachs) for Biology in 9th grade. I’ve also taken place in a Matacherri (a traditional pig butchering), way back when you still could do that as a whole-family shinding without standing installations (the city veterinary had to approve the pig, the materials used and run some analysis on samples he took). ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577/20 "2008-08-19T20:43:08Z")
1. For 2. Yes. Killed for sport and killed for pest control. [QUOTE=kevja] 1. No. (bugs and insects are not animals (mammals), and for that matter fresh and saltwater fish aren’t either. [/QUOTE] I’m intrigued by this statement. So all non-mammals are also not animals? 😕 And, if fresh water and salt water fish don’t count, are there fish that do? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-the-death-penalty-and-your-experience-with-death/460577.md?page=2)