Thursday, November 29, 2007

Idiots guide to capital punishment....

When there is yet another debate over this subject, it always amazes me that there seems to be a very strong feeling that capital punishment should play a part it the British justice system.
A survey in 2005, of 1118 respondents, showed that 66.5% of the population would like capital punishment reinstated.

Thank goodness a majority of MP's have above average intelligence and quash any such ridiculous thoughts. In addition the 'EU' and 'European Convention on Human Rights' are both totally against capital punishment, making the chance of reinstatement very remote.

The average vigilante in favour of such a barbaric act, must be particularly stupid and not be able to see beyond the end of their nose!

Lets look at some very important arguments against:
  • Genuinely innocent people will be executed. There is no such thing as being certain.

  • Imagine being executed! Now imagine being executed for a crime you know you did not commit...and no one believes you!

  • Murder or manslaughter? Often only the accused and the deceased know what happened. It often comes down to the skill of the prosecution and defence lawyers, rather than establishing the real truth. How can a persons life be decided in that manner.

  • How many times have their been miscarriages of justice? Too late if someones already been executed!

  • Everyone appreciated the suffering of a victims family. Often overlooked is the hell the innocent family and friends of a criminal go through leading up to and during an execution.

  • Vengeance and retribution are terrible things...Two wrongs do not make a right!

  • There is no such thing as a humane method of putting someone to death.

No individual or state has the right to judge on whether someone deserves to die! You become no better than the person who perpetrated the original crime. This has nothing to do with religion, but what is morally right.

10 comments:

Janna said...

I agree that this is a controversial topic, and I think there are people of "above average intelligence" on both sides of the debate.
I can see logic on both sides.

Certainly I can appreciate the tragic injustice of being wrongly accused.

I can also understand the moral outrage of someone whose child or friend has been murdered. I think that if one of my loved ones were to be killed tomorrow, there IS a part of me that would want the murderer to pay with his life.

I think that, as a society, we need to find something that is an effective deterrent against serious crimes like murder. Some societies have decided that capital punishment is the best option available. Other societies disagree. There has even been research which suggests that capital punishment is not an effective deterrent. I find that fascinating, since it seems like it would be human nature to value our own lives, even if we don't always respect the lives of others.

It's a rocky subject with no clear-cut solutions, in my opinion.
But I respect you for taking a stand.

Anonymous said...

Yes capital punishment is a very complex subject and like with all complex things,sometimes mistakes are made.
There are two extremes and execution is at one end.Please do not confuse vigilantes with capital punishment.These are people taking the law into their own hands for whatever reasons.
Do you agree with the present situation that a child/minor in school should not be on the receiving end of a clip around the ear,a board rubber flying at 30 knots or the threat or the cane ?(the threat of the cane often being enough!)
Do you think it is a just world when groups of youngsters think it is a sport to pick on the elderly using violence,or thinking it is fun to take a young child for a walk on the railway tracks? When people commit crimes such as fraud or breaking and entering in the safe knowledge that even if they do get caught the penalties are going to be pathetically small they laugh in the face of it!
Have you not yet had thousands of pounds stolen from you bank account or lost valuable data because of a virus placed on your pc.
The list goes on.I’m not saying I agree with death row…,in fact I would prefer to see such people sweat it out in a damp cell but I do feel the situation at the moment has gone to the opposite extreme , is pathetic and totally unacceptable.Who knows what the answer is and who knows if any government will ever have the balls to correct the situation instead of scrapping between themselves and worrying too much about votes!Sorry slightly, off the subject.
Capital punishment was probably very rarely given but the threat needs to be there.I’m not talking going back to the dark ages and I’m not talking about receiving 20 lashes for speeding tickets ,stating your opinions, or getting a bit wobbly walking out the pub but there are far too many people committing far too many crimes that are totally unacceptable and it needs to be stopped.
As for human rights…..what about the human rights for the good and honest people out there!

BSM said...

Dear Dave,

You seem to be making people think hard about the subject you raise. I congratulate you for this on its own, but, think about this one in relation to capital punishment; "You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs"
Also, as written on my own whinge site; "Make a sacrifice for the greater good"

David John Caswell said...

Hi janna,
Thanks for your viewpoint. Although I appreciate your opinion, I feel it is very clear cut on two points. One innocent life lost is one too many and secondly, no one has a right to take another's life, even if state authorised.

David John Caswell said...

Hi bsm,
Thanks for your comment. However I find your analogy rather simplistic. How can you compare a human life with an egg? You seem to be treating human life with contempt! How would you feel if it were one of your family affected?

David John Caswell said...

Hi Tim,
Thanks for your very valuable contribution. Firstly I fully understand the meaning of 'vigilante'. I used this word to emphasise the extreme nature of capital punishment, by comparing it to the extreme reaction of the vigilante, taking the law into his own hands without thought for the consequences...looking no deeper than pure revenge. The 'Justice System' is about the best we can hope for, but not so infallible that we can stake someone's life upon it!
I am not against corporal punishment, within reason. I agree that in some ways society has become too soft. Nothing wrong with the 'birch'!

Anonymous said...

I understand the society we live in is full of idiots but dave what are your suggestions to shop these people

Anonymous said...

keep up the good wook dave

David John Caswell said...

Dear Bambi,
Hi, thanks for taking a look and for leaving a comment.
Let them carry on, that's what I say...it keeps us all amused!
Dave.

David John Caswell said...

Hi blitz,
Thanks for your encouragement.
I will track down your blog when I have a moment!
See you soon.
Dave.