I support the death penalty for Claude Allen!

[fujiyama]

Yee ha! I'll one up all ya' all - DP for shop lifters. That'll teach them a lesson.

At what point do we draw the line for the death penalty? I understand its use in those that commited murder - you take a life, you don't deserve your own, that too only in cases where it's absolutely clear shown by DNA evidence that a person commited a crime.

I can also see the emotional response to child molestors getting the death penalty. We should all know by now that those sorts of people cannot be cured and should not be allowed into society.

But "pushers"? I may not have gone through it enough, but I hope that was sarcastic...

Death is irreversable. If there is even the slightest bit of doubt then a person cannot be executed. People should be aware that juries have sentenced people to death on eye witness testimony, which cannot be relied on. Also the system is extremely fucked up when you see racial disparities - if the victim is white, the death penalty is much likelier to be carried out.

Also, do we really want to be on the same plane as paragons of human rights such as China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia?

IF the nation is to use the death penalty, it should be carried out only in extremely rare circumstances - for the worst of crimes, and not in the capricious nature it is now. That means serial murderers and those DIRECTLY responsible for terrorist acts.

Until then, it should be scrapped. And seeing as how we are humans, operating an imperfect system, the state should not kill people unless it is absolutely necessary.

The mistake I often see with some anti death penalty activists is a holier than thou approach, lecturing people about the wrongs of revenge. Revenge is a very human emotion, and it does play a part in justice (whether people will admit it or not). But in a civilized legal system, revenge should be secondary to fairness and equal justice and unless we execute EVERY single murderer, the system is simply not doing its job.

[Selatius]

1. Drug pushers are just as much victims of the system as anyone here.

Several rap artists who became famous in the 1990s were drug pushers in the past. Why did they become pushers? Because they were Black, and there are no opportunities for Blacks. The same reason why people rioted in LA in 1992 is the same reason people rioted in France last year. It's the same damn reason.

The illegal drug trade can be lucrative. To become rich, you have to work your way up, and that starts with being a low-level dealer. When you live in a poverty-stricken slum with little or no prospect of getting a good education in these crappy schools or even a college education stuck in a dead-end job flipping burgers for 6 to 8 dollars an hour, you might turn to something else that can bring in much more money. Dead-end job working for McDonald's? Or working for a drug cartel with opportunities for advancement that can bring in far more money?

If you want to end the illegal drug trade, not only must you fight for the poorest among us, you must also regulate the trade, and you must fight to end discrimination. You'll never gain a grip on the problem if these aren't done.

You can bring a person out of the slums and give him a decent life if he wants it and you want it, but that's not possible if you put him down like a dog. There is no reform after death.

[regnaD kciN]

2. Which is why I support...

Several rap artists who became famous in the 1990s were drug pushers in the past.

...the death penalty for rappers! All of them -- why take a chance that one of them might have been a pusher? :sarcasm:

[formercia]

4. A fate worse than death

About a half million convicted felons are released from prisons each year because they have supposedly repaid their 'debt to society'. In fact, their 'debt' can never be repaid for most of them will never be able to vote again. It doesn't matter if it was a felony drug possession of a small amount of drugs or first degree murder, the net result is the same and the penalty has no variance. Most of these people are minorities, people who, under other circumstances, would be productive members of society and vote. Not very many would be Republicans, so it seems the system of getting busted and losing your right to vote benefits the elite in this country and many of the elite are involved in drug trafficking, not that you see many of them go to jail. It's the low level pushers and users that get convicted of felonies.

[Selatius]

6. You are right. It is one of the last remnants of Jim Crow.

There are still a lot of struggles and battles that need to be fought not just to end discrimination and hate based on color, sex, gender, religion, and even sexual orientation but also economic segregation between the rich and powerful and the poor and disempowered.

[XemaSab]

3. He should be shot at dawn!

:grr:

[ChristianLibrul]

5. tar and feathers, too

Every gubmnt official--elected or appointed--convicted of any crime or crimes while in office should die for the treasonous act of betraying the public trust.

But there should be much humiliation and physical pain first.

The traitor should be tarred and feathered publicly in each state capitol, and left on display for a week. After a year on tour, the pussbucket should be left hanging in the capitol of his/her home state, if a state criminal, or in D. C., if a federal criminal.

It probably wouldn't deter the next gang of thugs, but at least they couldn't whine that they weren't warned.