# Who gets to strangle this bastard? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2000, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884 "2000-03-16T13:16:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/21 "2000-03-16T19:25:00Z")
I don’t like to turn this into a debate, phouka, but I personally shudder at the idea of stripping someone of the qualfication of “human.” ---
**Author:** ![MadPoet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@MadPoet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPoet)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/22 "2000-03-16T19:35:00Z")
Hanging’s too good for him. BURNING’s too good for him. He should be chopped into tiny little pieces and BURIED ALIVE. * * * [http://www.madpoet.com](http://www.madpoet.com) Please hit Ctrl-A I hit Ctrl. Now what, eh? Damn Canadians. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/23 "2000-03-16T20:25:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Arnold Winkelried: > **OK, just to counteract all the blood-thirsty people here, I’ll chime in to say I oppose the death penalty in any case. The most basic human right is the right to life, and you don’t lose that however much of a criminal you are. (Not starting a debate, just presenting another point of view.)** I have to disagree with you on this. I’m 100% in favor of the death penalty. Even if you ignore the economic benefits (a few dozen kilowatt-hours in exchange for 25 years of imprisonment at taxpayer expense), there are still many other reasons to keep it going. 1. no chance of escaping to commit more murders. 2. satisfaction for the victims or their families 3. when you find a rotting branch on a tree, you cut it off before the rot spreads and kills the tree. What? People aren’t trees? When a person has gangrene, they cut off the affected flesh so the rot doesn’t spread and kill the person. We haven’t been doing that because so many people cry about “criminal’s rights” so we ignore the victim’s rights. And the rot spreads. 4. DETERRENT. If you knew you’d be caught and killed for doing -X- crime, then you likely wouldn’t do it. 5. The right to life? You have no right to life. 100 out of every 100 people born DIE. Show me where that indicates a right to life. If you’re drowning, who do you claim your right to life from? I agree that people shouldn’t arbitrarily end lives, but there are times when it’s appropriate. What about the “right to life” that the 100 kids he slaughtered? If you wrongfully take a life, you deserve to lose your own. If you take 100 lives from CHILDREN for God’s sake, you deserve to be thrown to a pack of rabid dogs to fight for your right to life. (not continuing a debate, just presenting another point of view 😉 ) ## If he really did what he was convicted of, then I applaud the court. I think the sick f\*\*\* got a well-deserved sentence. ## Oh, what’s that? So now you say life sucks? Well 99% of it’s what you make of it… So if your life sucks, YOU suck! Joe\_Cool ---
**Author:** ![SkySlash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SkySlash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkySlash)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/24 "2000-03-16T20:59:00Z")
Ever seen the movie “The Princess Bride?” I think the “Pain” would be quite fitting in this case…but acid works too! I say inject the f\*\*\*\* with acid…why just dip him in it? * * * You hit a woman, you need to be beat. You hit a kid, you need to lose a limb. You bring sexual assault into it…You need to die! Forget forgiveness, no one will miss you anyway! -SS ---
**Author:** ![WhiteNight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b38774/32.png) [@WhiteNight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhiteNight)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/25 "2000-03-16T22:48:00Z")
Arnold, I think it’s a little presumptuous of you to post in a thread specifically about strangling someone for their crimes, and not expect to start a debate by posting an opinion directly contrary to everyone else was has posted. And as for your post… if he’s human, and deserving of his rights, why don’t we let him live with you? I think that once we take the step of locking someone in prison for the rest of their life, killing them is a small step, you’re already taking away most of their rights and any chance of a happy life. If you could prove this guy’s guilt, I’d kill him myself and I wouldn’t feel any guilt. Same with most people who posted here, and most of the family members who lost children. I’d shoot a rabid dog, and I consider this guy lower (he knew what he was doing) and less useful to society. Your pacifict morals are charming, in a cutesy sort of way, but it’s so obvious nothing bad has ever happened to you, you have this funny view of humanity as a big love-a-thon, where we must cherish even the worst. ---
**Author:** ![SkySlash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SkySlash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkySlash)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/26 "2000-03-16T22:54:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by WhiteNight: > \*\*Arnold, I think it’s a little presumptuous of you to post in a thread specifically about strangling someone for their crimes, and not expect to start a debate by posting an opinion directly contrary to everyone else was has posted. > > And as for your post… if he’s human, and deserving of his rights, why don’t we let him live with you? > > I think that once we take the step of locking someone in prison for the rest of their life, killing them is a small step, you’re already taking away most of their rights and any chance of a happy life. > > If you could prove this guy’s guilt, I’d kill him myself and I wouldn’t feel any guilt. Same with most people who posted here, and most of the family members who lost children. > > I’d shoot a rabid dog, and I consider this guy lower (he knew what he was doing) and less useful to society. > > Your pacifict morals are charming, in a cutesy sort of way, but it’s so obvious nothing bad has ever happened to you, you have this funny view of humanity as a big love-a-thon, where we must cherish even the worst.\*\* Bam…Bam…and Bam!!! [http://www.force3d.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif](http://www.force3d.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif) [http://www.force3d.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif](http://www.force3d.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif) * * * In my limited experience, I’ve discovered everyone is an idiot until they’ve prove themselves otherwise! -SS ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/27 "2000-03-16T23:01:00Z")
Joe\_Cool, WhiteNight, SkySlash, like I said, I don’t want to turn this into a debate in MPSIMS (that’s not what this forum is for.) I will have started a [new thread in the Great Debates forum](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001529.html) if you are interested in continuing this discussion. In that thread I posted my responses to your reasons in favour of the death penalty. WhiteNight, you have no idea about my personal life, so I wouldn’t assume if I were you. And I didn’t see anywhere in the OP where it said “You are not allowed to disagree with me here.” Even if it was there, I would still post my opinion if I felt like it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/28 "2000-03-17T00:27:00Z")
**Strangle him.** _Hmmm, children still dead._ **Chop him up** _What?!?!? The children are still dead?!?!?_ **Put the pieces in acid.** _Why aren’t the children resurrected yet?!?!?!_ **Incinerate the acid.** _WAAAAA!!! Still no children!!!_ **Collect the fumes and eject them into the coldest, darkest regions of outer space.** _Surely that will bring back our children, RIGHT?!?!?!?_ Wrong, people. Brutality will not undo brutality. It only turns you into the very thing you despise most. A brute. * * * TT “It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.” –James Thurber ---
**Author:** ![Suzeanne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Suzeanne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suzeanne)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/29 "2000-03-17T00:39:00Z")
Thread hijack. > [@](#): > > I am quite anal about spelling, HOWEVER, being that as of right now when I am on line, I am usually breastfeeding at the same time AND therefore, typing with one hand. A few more months or so, and no one will know the difference. You’d be amazed at what you can relearn to do when there’s a kid around, especially a nursing baby. I honestly forgot HOW to do things with both hands, like cooking, or typing, or changing out laundry in the machines, or folding clothes, or … We now return you to your regularly scheduled chaos, mayhem, and violence. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![SINsApple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@SINsApple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SINsApple)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/30 "2000-03-17T01:19:00Z")
Justice isn’t an attempt to undo brutality. It is an attempt to prevent further brutality. And an attempt to mete out some sort of justice to a person who has taken something that cannot be returned or reimbursed for. If a murderer finds it okay to take a life, then how can they clambor that their’s deserves to be spared??? 😕 We can argue all we want about whether the death penalty is just or legal, but the fact of the matter is that in many states it is legal. My opinion on this is let the government do what they have judged legal to do and let God sort out the wrong doers. If it is wrong to take the life of a murderer, then God will punish those who deemed it so. If it is acceptable then God **still** punishes the murderers. I guess that I agree with Martin Luther and his interpretations about the Temporal Sword. I would sum it up for you, but I suggest you read his work and see for yourself what you think he is saying. Besides he says it so much better than I could. 🙂 As for this man who killed children, if he has to be killed humanely to keep fu\*\*ing amnesty international out of it, then so be it. As long as he is killed, it matters not. Am I a brute for feeling this way? Probably; I would personally take the job of killing murderers, rapists, and child molesters myself. But I will happily accept God’s punishment for it too. * * * “I celebrate myself, and sing myself, and what I assume you shall assume, for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” --Whitman ---
**Author:** ![Sylence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Sylence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylence)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/31 "2000-03-17T02:45:00Z")
He deserves it. – Sylence * * * “Excuse me, are you reading Torah and eating crayons?” ---
**Author:** ![Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6de8d8/32.png) [@Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilgore_Trout_1)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/32 "2000-03-17T03:37:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Strangle him. > Hmmm, children still dead. > > Chop him up > > What?!?!? The children are still dead?!?!? > > Put the pieces in acid. > > Why aren’t the children resurrected yet?!?!?! > > Incinerate the acid. > > WAAAAA!!! Still no children!!! > > Collect the fumes and eject them into the coldest, darkest regions of outer space. > > Surely that will bring back our children, RIGHT?!?!?!? **Throw him in jail.** Hey, no children. Let’s just let him go, then. (pssst… your logic doesn’t add up) * * * _what is essential is invisible to the eye -the fox_ ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/33 "2000-03-17T04:58:00Z")
I must respectfully disagree with the majority of posters and side with Arnold. I’m not arguing that the death penalty is wrong - that’s a topic for elsewhere - like Arnold’s GD thread. I am arguing with the violence, brutality, inhumanity, viciousness, callousness, and hatred being expressed. Although he now claims innocence, I’ll let the appeals process deal with that issue, but regarding the sentence I support an attempt at a humane sentence. Not because he deserves it, because _we_ (or at least Arnold, TT, and I) deserve it. Becoming as vile and brutal as he is does not help. It makes us one step closer to him. If removing from society for our protection and justice demands his death, let us do so in a manner that shows our humanity. I realize some of this thread is just venting rage and disgust at his actions. But there’s too much viciousness being expressed, and not enough regard for the value of life. Just because he does not respect the value of life, that is no reason for us to stop respecting it. Kilgore, Thufferin’s point is that the calls for brutality and malicious violence are from a sense of retribution and revenge. Those actions do nothing to restore justice. Locking him up may not restore justice, but it does prevent him from repeating the crime. It is your logic that does not add up. (The technical fallacy name is “strawman argument”. Look it up.) ---
**Author:** ![Anti\_Pro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Anti\_Pro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anti_Pro)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/34 "2000-03-17T05:08:00Z")
## I respect the way the officials held the murderer’s face up for the camera. It is sickening to see how the criminals usually get to hide behind jackets, they did the crime, got convicted, they ought to be ‘human’ enough to show their faces. “Honestly now, Chaplain, you wouldn’t want your sister to marry an enlisted man, would you?” “My sister IS an enlisted man, sir” the chaplain replied. ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2000, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/35 "2000-03-17T14:02:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Joe\_Cool: > DETERRENT. If you knew you’d be caught and killed for doing -X- crime, then you likely wouldn’t do it. Well thank god for this then. No more murders in states with the death penalty. ---
**Author:** ![EnigmaOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EnigmaOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnigmaOne)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2000, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/36 "2000-03-18T12:59:00Z")
{{{Locking him up may not restore justice, but it does prevent him from repeating the crime.}}}—Irishman I’ll let you go on this one alone, as your use of logic is wanting. True, locking him up **accomplishes** little in the way of justice, but it carries **no guarantee** that the individual will not kill again. Putting him to death **accomplishes** justice, **restores** order and **positively guarantees** that the individual will not kill again. {{{No more murders in states with the death penalty.}}}—android209 As mere official adoption of the death penalty is no guarantee of sure and swift justice (Americans, on the whole, are too spineless to deal with the subject in a mature manner.) you have set up a very nice strawman to hack away at. Only when the death penalty is adopted and meted out swiftly and with certitude will it be an effective deterrent to the commission of capitol crimes. * * * – **Kalél** [TheHungerSite.com](http://www.thehungersite.com) “If ignorance is bliss, you must be orgasmic.” “Well, there was that thing with the Cheese-Wiz…but I’m feeling **much** better now!” – John Astin, Night Court ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2000, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/37 "2000-03-19T06:33:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by android209: > \*\* Well thank god for this then. No more murders in states with the death penalty. > \*\* nobody likes a smart-ass. Well, except me. haha. Let me respond in kind. If you had read what you quoted from my post, you would see the words “knew that you would be caught and killed”. That statement is dependent upon three distinct concepts. The first is where I used the word “KNEW” (past tense, “To Know”, to possess knowlege or information). In the context I used it, that means you are aware with some certainty that it is more likely than not that something will happen. The second concept vital to my statement is “CAUGHT” (past tense, “To Catch”, to lay hands on, to stop from fleeing). Perhaps more properly, “APPREHENDED”. In the context of my post, I made the assumption that a conviction in court would follow apprehension. You seem to have understood the third concept, “KILLED” (past tense, “To Kill”, to cause life functions to cease), pretty well, except for one thing: In states with capital punishment, even people who are sentenced to be executed quite often are not executed. Allow me to rephrase what I said, this time stating my meaning more clearly. If you knew it was extremely likely that, having committed -X- crime (capital), you would be apprehended–either during commission of -X- or afterward; if you knew that the officers making the arrest would follow the proper procedures and not make any errors that would cause you to be released on a technicality; if you knew it was extremely likely that, during your trial, your guilt would be proven to the jury beyond a reasonable doubt and you would be sentenced to die; and if you knew that, upon sentencing, your execution would be carried out swiftly and surely, You likely would not commit -X- crime. Thus making capital punishment a viable deterrent. Too many variables? Here’s an easy one: I am armed. If you break into my home while I am there, I will, without hesitation, assume that my life is in danger and kill you. ## Is that a deterrent? There’s much more certainty there than in the legal system. ## Oh, what’s that? So now you say life sucks? Well 99% of it’s what you make of it… So if your life sucks, YOU suck! Joe\_Cool ---
**Author:** ![mega\_the\_roo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mega\_the\_roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mega_the_roo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2000, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884/38 "2000-03-18T22:57:00Z")
this whole thing really really bothers me. i mean, what parent wants to see a man tortured the exact same way their child was, to look at that man and see their son or daughter? i think it’s a horrible way to go about it. * * * if wishes were fishes, we could walk on the ocean. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-to-strangle-this-bastard/14884.md?page=1)