I am against the death penalty, but only because the cost of appeals drives the cost of execution well beyond the average cost of life imprisonment, and the possibility of executing innocent people will always be present.
However, by expressing a desire to skip the appeals and be executed, McVeigh has not only confessed to the crime, but also given us a chance to remove him from society for a fraction of the usual cost. Given that, I say we kill the motherfucker.
I think Bud Welch has got it right.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/ailib/aireport/ar99/press/welch.htm
Let me begin that I am against the death penalty. That being said, I worked in a maximum security prison for four years. There is no worse sentence than spending life in prison. I think when many people consider the death penalty, they look at their lives, families, etc. and realize how much they have and how the death penalty would quickly end all of that.
That, exactly, is why the death penalty is the lesser punishment. It is difficult to imagine what it would be like to have no freedom for the rest of your life. Imagine sitting in a 6 x 9 cell with absolutely no chance of ever achieving freedom.
If I were in McVeigh’s shoes, I’d run, not walk, to the death chamber. I’d prefer to see him live out his years in prison.
I’ll go for a compromise. Lock him up for life, in a room with a bomb that has a timer set to go off randomly sometime between now and 50 years from now. Just for yucks, once in a while it should emit a big click and a whirring sound.
I was referring to “Terrorists”, and the only other prominent terrorist that springs to mind is that Bin Laden fellow. I don’t remember if it was Afghanistan, Pakistan, or whatever that’s harboring him.
I kinda like Sam Stone’s idea. It should also be filmed 24/7 so we can have the whole thing on tape.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/US/Oklahoma_City_Bombing
McVeigh is scheduled to executed on May 26. That will be the end of that… or will it?
In reading some of the posts here, I think it is fair to say that some people feel he should die and cruely . It occurs to me that McVeigh believed that some people should die as well, perhaps for a greater cause. If society would only promote that there is absolutely no justification for the taking of human life perhaps, it just might have been a positive influence preventing McVeigh from proceeding with his plan. I think America is the only 1st world nation with capital punishment, and unquestionably battling the highest disregard for human life as exemplified by the murder rate.
It would be preferable to have McVeigh ponder the loss of a meaningful life for a long long time, and perhaps like that Tucker woman, find some avenue to begin atonement.
It really wasn’t so much of a stretch at the time to think that the most likely suspect would be an Islamic extremist. While in recent years there have been terrorist attacks in Ireland, Colombia, Japan, and many other places, the Islamic extremists have been far and away the most deadly to Americans. When the news is full of Anti-American flag burnings, protests, and “Great Satan” rhetoric, when historically we have been the target of many past terrorist attacks from these groups, when several Arab nations are continually on our list of nations that support and sponsor terrorism, when high profile religious leaders publicly call for adherents to embark on violence, then it is perfectly natural to start looking in that direction when an attack occurs, barring other evidence. I can’t remember exact dates, but I do remember that McVeigh was found very quickly, much sooner than I ever thought would be possible.
Now I grant you that the “mad-bomber Arab” is not a good or accurate stereotype. It’s certainly not true that most Arabs are terrorists or that most Muslims are fanatical nutballs armed to the teeth. However, recent history would certainly indicate that Islamic fundamentalists make up the bulk of those engaging in terrorist acts against the US.
I like both Sams and Arden Rangers idea. How about both. Lock em in the cell with the bomb in it and let the relatives come by a throw rocks at em in his cell but not enough to kill’em.
I think that would be great punishment for him and some vengence for the victims family. Lethal injection is just not painful enough for him. I mean he killed kids.
I have a problem with this. I don’t picture prisoners wasting away in 6x9 cells until they die. They workout, read, watch tv, paint and even write books behind bars. I’m guessing that drugs are pretty common as well. And there is always the possibility of escape. I don’t picture them sitting there and crying for their actions for 50 years. They have a chance for some kind of happiness, they have a chance to make the most of their situation.
They don’t have that chance after they are dead.
Certainly lifers will have many opportunities for gratification, but happiness can only come from being of value to others. Life imprisonment precludes much of that opportunity as a father, husband, friend, or position in the economy. I can’t believe McVeigh was a happy camper before he got caught either.
I am for the judicious use of the death penalty.
The death penalty is the law at the federal level (at which McVeigh was convicted). I think we have to use it. If we don’t use it for McVeigh and the 168 murders he committed, then for what crime do we adminster it? If this crime wasn’t what the death penalty is for, then I don’t know what crime is…
Zev Steinhardt
I am opposed to the death penalty. This is a difficult post for me to write because 18 years ago (18?!?) my father was murdered. (actually manslaughtered) Also I knew two people who died in the OKC bombing. I would not advocate the death penalty for my father’s killer. There was a time when I want to do it myself but I returned to my beliefs and now would not wish it. (not that it was an issue he only go a year’s probation) Some people (myself at times) think I am a coward or that I didn’t care for my father. I know the latter is untrue and I am pretty sure of the former.
Tim McVeigh did more than kill 168 people. He declared war on the United States. He hoped to inspire others to attack and kill others. I would oppose a death sentence for him only if he would be locked in seclusion and never allowed and communication with the public and for there to be a ban on the media bringing him up. The last thing we need is TM living to old age writing books on his theories of government. Since the 1st Admendment won’t allow us to forbid the press…
A military firing squad is in order.
He should be executed not just for the ennormity of the crime and its victims but also for the treason that justified the act in his mind.
He can never be rehabilitated and seeks the noteriety of death as a martyr against form 1040.
Let’s imagine, if you will, that amazingly we discover the 120+ old Adolf Hitler living right here in the U.S.
Do we execute him for his millions of murders or do we let him sit in prison to write another book: “My Struggle Part II - This Time No More Mister Nice Guy”?
Then again, who is the murderer at the local 7-Eleven, at the time of their act but Hitler at the gas chamber?
Damn that new math catches me every time…so now we’re at 1=6,000,000 now? hmm… <shrug> :rolleyes:
Didn’t take you long to Godwinize the thread dude…
I disagree as to your method of execution. Remember Goering? As I understand it, he considered as a military officer that death by firing squad was an honourable form of execution. He committed suicide rather than be hanged.If mcVeigh has to go, I’m sure in his sick mind, the prospect of a firing squad would appeal to him.
Never let it be said that PC and truth can inhabit the same room! It really was the most natural thing in the world for all of us, on hearing of the OK bombing, to assume that a terrorist was responsible (we were wrong about that) and that the terrorist would be an Arab (wrong again). That we were all wrong THIS TIME doesn’t change the fact that Arabs commit a huge percentage of the terrorist outrages worldwide, especially against Americans. Certainly, it’s correct to say that most Arabs aren’t terrorists, but it’s equally correct to say that most terrorists who target things American ARE Arabs.
It strikes me as silly that anyone debates the death penalty in this country, when a sentence of death generally means an ironclad guarantee of continued life, at taxpayer expense, for an average of fourteen years past the date of sentencing. Execution hasn’t been an effective deterrent in the U.S. since before most of us were born, simply because of the ever-lengthening time between sentencing and execution, and because of the relatively high likelihood of the sentence being commuted.
TM is a loser with no redeeming qualities. He is a convicted mass murderer. He is a coward who fled the scene of his heinous crime long before his bargain-basement bomb exploded. Christ, he didn’t even use his own vehicle! (Did Ryder collect on the insurance, I wonder?)
TM richly deserves to die, but he should have been hung publicly within thirty minutes of his sentencing.
my turn, he didn’t do it, he was convicted, but he is innocent. Just my opinion, always has been:D.
I say fry’im… and without the wet sponge on his head. 