The Death Penalty

[Ocean of Notions]

So life would be a bit more like comic books with super (or not so super) heroes (villains) duking it out in the streets...

[Lightning Lord]

Found a better link than mere synopsis

[Nakkie]

Look, if pimps, drug dealers, gang bangers, and other criminals start getting executed on the spot, people will be much less likely to partake in those activities. Why don't we go the distance and destroy the entire immediate family of the criminal also, thereby getting rid of faulty genetic code and curing the problem indefinitely?

[Herr Fick]

I find most ethical arguments against the death penalty arbitrary and unconvincing. But this is the case with most 'arguments' regarding normative statements or value judgements that presuppose some principal method of justifying such statements or making such judgements (and since I'm tainted by academic philosophy my perspective might be warped...).

The strongest argument against the death penalty, in my opinion, comes from balancing the interest to see potential criminals deterred and oneself protected from them on one side and the interest not to be wrongfully executed on the other side, with the latter interest considered more important. But if in someone's evaluation the former interest outweighs the latter, then we would be unable to compromise, let alone agree.

[Lord O' Bones]

I agree with MinDonner, Xanrn, et al. I have no moral objections to executions, but we've already had innocent people executed wrongly. In my opinion that is unconscionable and renders any moral argument about execution moot.

There are plenty of convictions that seemed to be "sure things" at the time and were later shown to be erroneous. Eyewitnesses don't mean shit -- people are lying scumbags when it suits them.

Close your eyes. Imagine for a second; let alone for years of despair!

You have murdered no one. Yet were convicted. And now not only your friends, and your future were taken from you, but maybe your family. The public; those that hate you enough to care, are going to be happy when the poison goes through your veins. If those loyal to you try to fight it, even more strangers will call for you death.

Fuck you. Murderer.

But you know better. You are innocent. YOU ARE INNOCENT!

The Lord 'O Bones cannot imagine dealing with that in my last moments. "They know not what they do" would not help my terror during the extinguishing of all that I am.

I'm all for the wholesale slaughter of criminals... I guarantee the crime rate would drop DRAMATICALLY.

Continue reading Nak. See how you feel.

[Ocean of Notions]

Look, if pimps, drug dealers, gang bangers, and other criminals start getting executed on the spot, people will be much less likely to partake in those activities. Why don't we go the distance and destroy the entire immediate family of the criminal also, thereby getting rid of faulty genetic code and curing the problem indefinitely?

How are we going to decide who gets to make those decisions? Do you propose a military state or more of a free-for-all with the strongest getting to choose. So maybe we should go back to a system with warlords and private military.

[Lightning Lord]

Look, if pimps, drug dealers, gang bangers, and other criminals start getting executed on the spot, people will be much less likely to partake in those activities. Why don't we go the distance and destroy the entire immediate family of the criminal also, thereby getting rid of faulty genetic code and curing the problem indefinitely?

Agreed.

And let's amputate the legs of jay walkers. They'll learn their lesson. Intentionally blind kids who look at pornography underage. Take off both arms of anyone who pickpockets. Lobotomize anyone who carries out fraud. Take out the tongue of anyone spitting on the street, chewing loudly or cursing.

[Lord O' Bones]

Look, if pimps, drug dealers, gang bangers, and other criminals start getting executed on the spot, people will be much less likely to partake in those activities. Why don't we go the distance and destroy the entire immediate family of the criminal also, thereby getting rid of faulty genetic code and curing the problem indefinitely?

Because were are not animals, or made of pure science. We are somewhere clumsy in between.

Also, Go Navy!

[Inigima]

Wholesale slaughtering of criminals:

+ Reduces overpopulation

+ Allows repurposing of former prisons

+ Saves money, food and other resources

+ Frees up time previously wasted by plea-bargaining

- Blood running in the streets presents sanitation and storage/disposal issues

- Nearly everyone breaks the law

- Conviction rate disparities for gender, race, etc. not resolved

- Potential increase in false testimony by enemies of the accused

- Fewer confessions will require additional court time and costs

- Loss of jobs in the prison sector may harm the economy

[Inigima]

So life would be a bit more like comic books with super (or not so super) heroes (villains) duking it out in the streets...

So life would be like Watchmen?

I could maybe get behind that.

[lessthanluke]

Wholesale slaughtering of criminals:

+ Reduces overpopulation

+ Allows repurposing of former prisons

+ Saves money, food and other resources

+ Frees up time previously wasted by plea-bargaining

- Blood running in the streets presents sanitation and storage/disposal issues

- Nearly everyone breaks the law

- Conviction rate disparities for gender, race, etc. not resolved

- Potential increase in false testimony by enemies of the accused

- Fewer confessions will require additional court time and costs

- Loss of jobs in the prison sector may harm the economy

+ Lots more organs available for donation.

[Nakkie]

Other Pro"

+ There would be a whole new market for License Plate manufacturers

[Ocean of Notions]

- Loss of jobs in the prison sector may harm the economy

But new jobs will be created! For one, someone has to do something about the bioharzards (blood, guts, brains, spine fluid, etc) in the streets.

[Lord O' Bones]

Some other pros:

+ You could harvest the remains of criminals and donate all their organs to people in need.

+ There would be a whole new market for License Plate manufacturers

I'm hoping you're being clever my young friend. Even knowing you were a bad-ass, I always thought you were a more thoughtful man than this representation.

Edit: That or I'm taking shit too seriously tonight.

[Kat]

+Rise in vigilanteism would bring more "realism" to modern-day western stories.

[Lord of Oop North]

Not to mention that the 'black-bagging criminal roundup sector' will experience exponential job growth.

We might even be able to retool the factories in the Rust Belt for the purpose of criminal depopulation.

[Ocean of Notions]

I like the organ harvesting idea. It would reduce the number of organs being sold on the black market (reduction of crime, once more!) and the wait list would be cut down drastically.

[Inigima]

Not to mention that the 'black-bagging criminal roundup sector' will experience exponential job growth.

If you put all the power in the hands of black-bagger squads, though, who handles the black-bagging if one of the black-baggers needs to be black-bagged?

You can't fool me. I saw V For Vendetta.

[Eyelesbarrow]

Agreed.

And let's amputate the legs of jay walkers. They'll learn their lesson.

I was caught jaywalking once (not my fault, but it's a long story, but what the hell, I owned up to it.) I had to sit through a boring lesson on road safety, with a large dose of guilt trip. Made me not jaywalk anymore. (Or at least, made me careful where I jaywalk.)

[Lord of Oop North]

If you put all the power in the hands of black-bagger squads, though, who handles the black-bagging if one of the black-baggers needs to be black-bagged?

You can't fool me. I saw V For Vendetta.

We'll have to setup a committee to integrate six sigma practices into our black-bagging service-chain. Such a strategy, applied across the board, should ensure a minimum of treachery on the parts of our black-baggers, and limit the need to black-bag blackbaggers to approximately 3.4 black baggings per million black-baggers.