Can you stand one more? - pontificating on the Death Penalty

Seems to me whether you are for the death penalty or not, there have clearly been some real errors made. I think the safe thing to do would be to stop and do some thinking. You can always go on and execute later, you sure as hell can't take it back. (at least not yet)


Death is such a permanent action, if there are ANY doubts, our whole system - its history, its premiss (innocent until proven otherwise) demand more examination.

I don't see how erring on the side of life can be wrong.

My only concern is the victims survivors. Does the murderer get all the benefit of the doubt, all the compassion? What if the victims need vengence? Do they get a say?

For instance, the freak in the subway who shot all those people, killing some, in front of witnesses, and then tried to defend himself.

It led to ridiculous courtroom scenes where witnesses said things like, "And then, you shot me..."

IOW, if we could be SURE we had guilty people, could they then be executed?

I am ambivilent about execution. Clearly there are people who deserve nothing better, And I am pretty sure if anyone hurt one of my children I would want them dead - of course I would likely want to do the job myself, yet I worry that we as a nation, or as a society have not joined the majority of what we call civilised nations that no longer do this.

I also think about the question of whether death is too easy for some of these individuals. Whether being locked up and never let loose isn't MORE punishing (provided that is the reason for doing it - I don't fully know WHY we do it - is it punishment? Prevention? - pretty clear that doesn't work Or just removal from our presense? - wouldn't life imprisonment accomplish that? I don't know.