My proposition if "flawed" only in practical execution. That is to say, I can't really fathom a practical scenario in which one might have to choose between "punishing" an offender and "saving" a victim. Perhaps that could be the stuff of an interesting episode of "Law & Order: SVU".

That strikes me as the reasonable choice.

Yes, agreed. I was proposing the scenario only to ascertain which pursuit you considered to be more important.

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"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

In a world rife with psychopaths, the law will always fail to protect some of the innocent. Not to sound callous, but why all of the outrage for this particular baby. I think it's safe to assume that in the days since you've posted this thread, any number of children in Africa have died significantly worse deaths than this one. Why the outrage and clamor for action? Is it because this death made the headlines?

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"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

Really? Do you think that the kind of deviant who molests children is going to be deterred?

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"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

It can - I'm just asking which is more important.

You probably would - but you're not a child molester and thus probably incapable of understanding the deviant mind. From what I understand, these sorts of people are driven compulsively to do what they do, and all of the threats in the world aren't going to stop them (consider that if they get caught and imprisoned, they are generally tortured by other inmates. And then, when they "pay their due" to society, they are constantly ostracized and persecuted upon release, so to speak).

Personally, I've always maintained that the most reasonable thing to do with child molesters/predators is to euthanize them. They're completely incapable of functioning in a normal manner in society, and their existence is probably equally torturous to them as it is to the rest of us. But then, a needle in the arm is a far cry from the clamoring for medieval torture that we see in threads here on the subject.

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"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

I'm noticing that I've posted a bunch of responses in a row, so after this one, I'll probably "chill" for a bit. But, here's something to ponder:

Doesn't it strike anyone as ironic to fight sadism with sadism?

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"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

Yes.

It makes you no better than the original perpetrator, except that you're a self righteous hypocrite to boot.

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"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

One of the very few times I agree with you ... How the heck did that fool put a kid (even a baby) in a microwave???

Oh, and no I'm not for any of the sadism mentioned in this thread ... I'd just like to see such a person locked up for life. That's it.

I agree.

Incidentally, prison "justice" can be brutal enough. Child molestors / abusers and rapists get it the worst. Can you imagine what they'd do to a guy that put his kid in a microwave?

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Fully agree. They'd probably skin him alive or some such thing ...

I think it's a bit hypocritical to decry a crime such as the one discussed, yet at the same time advocate that type of treatment towards another human being, no matter how mentally disturbed that person may be.

You have a point, it could be that we are hearing more of it.
But it's still wrong and I still think that the punishment should fit the crime.

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Anyone who thinks freedom comes cheap, please put the blindfold on and stand against the wall.

Many times I believe Americans will have to take back the country and start a new government.

My anger isn't just over this childs death, it is over all of the child related crap going on.
The ex and I done Emergency Foster care and Emergency child rescue care and I can assure you that I've seen things that would bring you blood to boil. That is why I think pictures should be included in stories, people just can't grasp the horrific wrong doings just by reading the story.

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Anyone who thinks freedom comes cheap, please put the blindfold on and stand against the wall.

Many times I believe Americans will have to take back the country and start a new government.

I hate it when you ask questions such as that. I think you enjoy playing devils advocate.

My reponse is: "Humans haven't evolved enough to completely disband barbarian practices".

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Anyone who thinks freedom comes cheap, please put the blindfold on and stand against the wall.

Many times I believe Americans will have to take back the country and start a new government.

Devil's advocate or not, the question was very valid indeed.

We certainly have. Unless you are suggesting that you are less evolved than some of us.

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"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas