And, where do you get the money to build and operate these prisons?

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

It is not uncommon for people on death row to be exonerated. It has happened 129 times since 1973. Are we to believe these were the only men on death row who were innocent? What basis is there to think no one has slipped through the cracks? Since 1976 there have been more than 1100 executions in this country. I think it's almost certain an innocent person has been executed. That's reason enough for me to be opposed to it.

If we want to clear the prisons, we should quit locking up non-violent drug offenders.

Bureau of Justice Statistics, Drugs and Crime Facts: Drug Use and Crime
Did Texas execute an innocent man? | Front page | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
American Civil Liberties Union : Innocent North Carolina Man Exonerated After 14 Years On Death Row

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"Some years ago I had a sobering realization about women, which was that there are just too many nice ones. One simply can't fall in love with, sleep with, or marry all the nice women...One of the saddening facts of life is that there is always going to be a delightful woman somewhere who, for whatever accident of timing or attraction, simply slips by and recedes to return only in a dream."
-Larry McMurtry in Roads

Taxes. Believe it or not, I'm not against taxes per se, only those for the wrong purposes.

Has not happened yet but the precident was set when states started changing the meaning of "life". If they changed it before they can change it again.

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Hope is the opposite of audacity. It's passive, an excuse for inaction.

Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

“What's the difference between Sarah Palin and Barack Obama?”

“One is a well turned-out, good-looking, and let's be honest, pretty sexy piece of eye-candy.

“The other kills her own food.”

E.g. forced labour by the inmates.

Anyway in general I'm against the death penalty, as I don't want the society to kill just one innocent human.
Especially as this human could be me one day under the wrong cricumstances and with bad luck.

Apart from that, in a pure hypothetical case of a state of emergency and a massive crack down of social stability, there should be the DP to handle troublemakers fast and easy to prevent further massive danger to society.

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"bellum omnium contra omnes; atque in eo bello jus esse omnibus in omnia."
Thomas Hobbes

"Homo Homini Lupus"
Thomas Hobbes

I think the DP should be applied to a repeat offenders of murder or a person who kills multiple people.

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Is our children learning? -George W. Bush

"I think—tide turning—see, as I remember—I was raised in the desert, but tides kind of—it's easy to see a tide turn—did I say those words?"—Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006

"[T]he illiteracy level of our children are appalling."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2004

I couldn't be for it more. The only problem I see with it is that it's not used often enough.

If someone is found guilty, they get an appeal, as in one appeal.

If that appeal is unsuccessful, buckle up...

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Obama's New "57 State Patriotic Pin":




Sayeth John Drake - 10/13/08: "OK, you're right, I admit to LYING"

Most certainly pro-hanging.

As the majority of Brits have been ever since it was abolished in the early 1960's. Not one survey since has agreed with the government's abolishment.

Could be said that China is more democratic than the UK.......

Before discussing whether or not any innocent people have been executed in this country, I'd like to get an idea about everyone's fundamental ideas about the death penalty.

Do people who support the death penalty think it is acceptable that innocent people might be executed along with the guilty? If one innocent person is executed for every 99 guilty people, is it still acceptable to use the death penalty? How about one for every 999 guilty?

Do supporters of the death penalty have enough faith in the justice system to believe that no innocent person could ever be put to death in this country, or do they think the benefits of the death penalty outweigh the cost of taking innocent lives?

As I've said before, I do not support the death penalty because I do not believe the justice system gets the verdict correct 100 percent of the time. The possibility that one innocent person could be executed is enough reason for me to be against it. Furthermore, I think it's nearly certain to have already happened.

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"Some years ago I had a sobering realization about women, which was that there are just too many nice ones. One simply can't fall in love with, sleep with, or marry all the nice women...One of the saddening facts of life is that there is always going to be a delightful woman somewhere who, for whatever accident of timing or attraction, simply slips by and recedes to return only in a dream."
-Larry McMurtry in Roads

For me, it is not in the least acceptable. That is one of the main reasons for my being against it.

Although I am not a supporter of the death penalty, I'll answer: I don't have that faith. We certainly have a great justice system, but it is by no means perfect. There are a lot of flaws, but still it is a better justice system than most around the world, IMO.

Agreed.

And, as a general question, I understand that the DP is allowed in our constitution, but I only understand that because other folks more knowledgeable in the law tell me so. What part of the Constitution allows for it? I ask, because if the DP is allowed based on some implication about rough penalties; then I would like to see these capital crimes being penalized with life and hard (or boring, or tedious, etc.) labor rather than death. Society should be repaid in the interest of justice. Death seems like a waste if there are other options. Perhaps we could put the capital criminals on a rodent cage wheel and have them generate at least a few kW of power. Seriously, though, we can get something out of these offenders, if this kind of punishment is allowed (as death is allowed) in the Constitution.

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I am an American. That's the way most of us put it, just matter of factly. They are plain words, those four: you could write them on your thumbnail, or sweep them clear across this bright autumn sky. But remember too, that they are more than just words. They are a way of life. So whenever you speak them; speak them firmly, speak them proudly, speak them gratefully. I am an American. ...a tradition

I support the death penalty.

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There can be no bystanders in the battle for survival. Anyone who will not fight by your side is an enemy you must crush.

We are at war with forces too terrible to comprehend. We cannot afford mercy for any of its victims too weak to take the correct course. Mercy destroys us; it weakens us and saps our resolve. Put aside all such thoughts. They are not worthy of those in the service of country.

Could you give some reasons?

This is the single most difficult topic for me.

I oppose the death penalty on principle, for the same reason that I oppose abortion. Life is sacred and it is not up to human beings to end the life of another.

I am well aware that there are very powerful arguments based on the sheer evil of some criiminals that support the death penalty. Emotionally, I would like to support it under some circumstances. But I cannot.

War is obviously an exception to this principle, and I am not a pacifist. But that is why I am very, very cautious about supporting a war. Sometimes there is simply no option.

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"Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep; in his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be fear'd: 'tis much he dares;
And, to that dauntless temper of his mind,
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour
To act in safety."

Macbeth 3:1

I just wanted to bump this because I was hoping to get some of the supporters of the death penalty to expand on their answers and perhaps respond to my previous post. I didn't get a good idea of where most the supporters were coming from, so I was hoping to understand that position a little better.

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"Some years ago I had a sobering realization about women, which was that there are just too many nice ones. One simply can't fall in love with, sleep with, or marry all the nice women...One of the saddening facts of life is that there is always going to be a delightful woman somewhere who, for whatever accident of timing or attraction, simply slips by and recedes to return only in a dream."
-Larry McMurtry in Roads

There are people who, as a result of their actions, deserve to die...

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Obama's New "57 State Patriotic Pin":




Sayeth John Drake - 10/13/08: "OK, you're right, I admit to LYING"