I'm not quite sure what you're getting at, Mr P.

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I'm not quite sure what you're getting at, Mr P.

ER — 9/19/2006 5:47:17 PM (archived)

I'm not discussing legal issues, philosophy, or morality. I'm simply stating my opinion that although I am not opposed to the death penalty in principle, I just don't trust the legal system to administer it fairly.

As far as any liberal/conservative dichotomy is concerned, I'm sure there are conservatives who oppose the DP and liberals who support it; but as a rule, opinions on this issue are pretty much split down party lines. Ths is the point I was trying to make in the last sentence of my post.

Regardless of the ethical or constitutional issues involved, there is ample precedent in the application by the state of the DP; citizens are allowed to kill in self-defense, defense of others, in wartime, and through due process, and that right has been part of the body of codified law for centuries. For that matter, the citizenry does not have any right to collect taxes, declare war, regulate commerce, or imprison criminals, but it does have a mechanism established to form governments which do have that mandate.

To restate my position, I do not approve of the death penalty for the following reason and for this reason only: the state has not demonstrated the capacity to carry it out justly.

The whole thread (46 posts)

Real torture - Tom Brosz - 9/17/2006 4:22:53 AM
- Let's stamp it out. Maybe if we can catch a few of them and torture them... - alcaray - 9/18/2006 10:23:37 PM
  - George's "war" has stirred up generations of hate - Lindy - 9/19/2006 2:49:00 PM
- If all the US was doing was "making someone stand in an uncomfortable position" there wouldnt be a problem, or a discussion. (n/t) - Tony - 9/18/2006 3:49:27 PM
  - List of CIA techniques - Tom Brosz - 9/19/2006 1:29:13 AM
  - I actually agree with you on this. - REB - 9/18/2006 4:17:52 PM
- Whatever are you talking about? - David F Mayer - 9/18/2006 12:25:01 PM
- Sigh. Here we go again. - Bowser - 9/18/2006 5:00:21 AM
- re: Capital Punishment 25 years ago - Raoul - 9/17/2006 8:10:54 PM
  - How's the crime rate over that time? (n/t) - Tom Brosz - 9/17/2006 9:29:55 PM
    - re: From here - Raoul - 9/17/2006 10:09:31 PM
      - re: From here - Tom Brosz - 9/18/2006 12:20:21 AM
        
        statistics won't save you on this issue - FrankC - 9/18/2006 6:05:33 PM
        
        re: statistics won't save you on this issue - REB - 9/18/2006 6:17:03 PM
        
        If we can put a man on the moon.... - FrankC - 9/18/2006 8:05:11 PM
        
        Yeah, it's called death. - Lee - 9/19/2006 2:42:09 AM
        
        re: From here - Laurie Street - 9/18/2006 4:07:52 AM
        
        PS - Laurie Street - 9/18/2006 4:10:15 AM
        
        Actually, I was talking about France. - Tom Brosz - 9/18/2006 4:21:58 AM
        
        Sorry to interject a data point that doesn't fit your curve - Laurie Street - 9/18/2006 5:37:26 AM
        
        Personally, I'm not opposed to the concept of capital punishment... - ER - 9/18/2006 7:26:42 PM
        
        If you are old fashioned, does that make you a conservative? - Publius - 9/19/2006 3:25:24 PM
        
        I'm not quite sure what you're getting at, Mr P. - ER - 9/19/2006 5:47:17 PM
        
        Not discussing legal issues, philosophy, or morality... - Publius - 9/19/2006 7:37:27 PM
        
        Azstrummer, below, makes some good points... (n/t) - ER - 9/19/2006 9:59:52 PM
        
        me too....except.... - azstrummer - 9/18/2006 8:59:24 PM
        
        When I was in high school... - alcaray - 9/18/2006 9:19:31 PM
        
        Would you be willing to take that to the logical conclusion? - Lee - 9/19/2006 2:51:37 AM
        
        I think he does it to get a rise out of us - Lindy - 9/20/2006 1:57:44 AM
        
        Perhaps the solution is to reserve capital punishment for corporate crime. (n/t) - ER - 9/20/2006 11:04:29 AM
        
        So why the protest? - Lee - 9/20/2006 5:35:53 AM
        
        Sure, Lee - most murders are committed by males, so... - Laurie Street - 9/19/2006 4:28:06 PM
        
        Well he asked to be shown - Lee - 9/19/2006 7:14:58 PM
        
        Is that what that was about? - alcaray - 9/19/2006 8:43:24 PM
        
        Can't imagine a mind that would think that was the next logical conclusion. Charlie Manson, is that you? (n/t) - alcaray - 9/19/2006 3:36:29 PM
- Indeed it is horrific - Lindy - 9/17/2006 5:29:31 PM
- re: Real torture - azstrummer - 9/17/2006 5:23:24 PM
  - NA attrocities - FrankC - 9/17/2006 6:08:02 PM
    - re: NA attrocities - azstrummer - 9/18/2006 5:29:53 PM
  - History - Tom Brosz - 9/17/2006 6:00:58 PM
    - Definition of torture - Laurie Street - 9/18/2006 5:51:49 AM
- We should look to North Korea to set moral standards? (n/t) - Robert - 9/17/2006 5:10:29 PM
  - Saw that coming ten miles away. - Tom Brosz - 9/17/2006 5:55:54 PM
    - I was counting on it. - Robert - 9/17/2006 8:21:45 PM
      - re: Redux - Tom Brosz - 9/17/2006 9:23:26 PM
        
        re: Redux - Laurie Street - 9/18/2006 5:42:01 AM

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