It wasn't just GA that executed a man last night. TX did too.

[Township75]

As we recognize the world's disgust with the USA performing an execution in GA, and we here express how barbaric it is for the US to even have a death penalty, let's not lose sight of the entire scope of the problem. Texas executed someone on the same night as GA:

Man executed for dragging death of James Byrd By the CNN Wire Staff
updated 7:45 PM EST, Wed September 21, 2011

(CNN) -- Lawrence Russell Brewer was executed in Texas Wednesday evening for his involvement in the infamous dragging death of a black man 13 years ago.

Brewer, 44, was one of three men convicted for involvement in the murder of James Byrd.

He was executed by lethal injection at 6:21 p.m. local time (7:21 p.m. ET) Wednesday , according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Brewer and two other white men kidnapped the 49-year-old black man on the night of June 7, 1998. They chained him by the ankles to the back of a pickup truck and dragged him for 3 ½ miles down a country road near Jasper, Texas. Byrd died when he was decapitated after he hit a culvert.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/21/justice/texas-dragging-death-execution/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

When we speak about outrage and discust over the death penalty, we need to include all of its victums.

[MineralMan]

1. A person is either against the death penalty or he/she is not.

It's very simple. As evil as this man was, I still do not believe the state should have the power to execute people. I found the difference between the threads on the two victims of execution yesterday to be very interesting for just that reason.

[Chorophyll]

4. +1.

[malaise]

6. Ditto

and Byrd's family also opposes the death penalty

[rhett o rick]

7. I believe that society has an obligation to remove those that are a danger to society..

However, I believe that using the death penalty causes more damage to society than it cures.

[MineralMan]

10. Life in prison without the possibility of parole very effectively

removes people from society. In extreme cases, I would support solitary confinement, if needed to protect others.

I am absolutely opposed to the death penalty, and have been since I was old enough to think clearly.

[SidDithers]

9. Well said...nt

Sid

[fishwax]

30. this is true, although supporting the death penalty does not mean supporting every execution

or even necessarily supporting the death penalty in its current form.

I oppose the death penalty in all forms and cases.

[rhett o rick]

32. Yes I agree. Both Bush and Bush-lite (Perry) use executions as proof they are tough on crime. nm

[polmaven]

2. Exactly...

As heinous as was this crime, and even though there is no doubt about his guilt, life without parole would have been a much more appropriate sentence. Death was too easy, here.

[Puglover]

3. I am vehemently opposed to the DP.

Mr. Brewer makes that belief challenging to maintain. Would I have it gone? Yes. Will I spend 5 seconds grieving for this guy? Nope.

[EFerrari]

5. Yes.

[MarianJack]

8. brewer was an entirely...

...contemptaable, detestable, horrendously filthy racist excuse for a piece of excrement walking around in a human form.

That being said, another member correctly posted that principles will be tested. You're either for the death penalty or against it. If you're against it it includes "people" like brewer, bundy, mcveigh and all the other litle shits like them.

I, for one, am happy that my state (Maine) doesn't murder. I can't see how life without the possibility of parole can in any way be interpreted as "coddling criminals".

PEACE!

[Upton]

11. Sounds like the guy in Texas deserved it..

just like those two assholes who sexually assaulted, tortured, and murdered Dr. Petit's wife and two daughters.

The bar should be set high, better safeguards need to be built in, but IMO, the DP should remain an option as punishment in some cases..

[Ruby the Liberal]

14. That won't be popular here

But know that some of us agree with you.

In the Texas case, the man not only bragged about his crime, but repeatedly stated that he would do it again given the chance.

You might want to don your flame proof suit at this point.

[TBF]

17. I agree. I approve in some cases - Timothy McVeigh was the case that changed my mind on the death

penalty. I was always opposed until that guy came along.

[Ruby the Liberal]

26. Mine was Ted Bundy.

[ScreamingMeemie]

20. That wouldn't be popular with Ross Byrd...James Byrd's son.

[TBF]

22. I know,

the Byrds have been amazing. I admit I wouldn't be able to forgive as they have.

[Ruby the Liberal]

27. I applaud the Byrd family

As is known with all too many cases - the DP does NOT bring relief of justice to the families. I am glad that they have been able to come to terms with their grief - they are WAY better people than I could be in 100 lifetimes.

As mentioned however, this man was unrepentant and bragged he would do it all over again. While this was justice for James Byrd, it was also taking an unrepentant hate crime murderer off the streets (and out of the jail population) where he can do no more harm.

We will just have to disagree. To me it isn't about yes/no but about accuracy. When in doubt, DONT. Bragging about the crime and the desire to recommit it against someone else leaves no doubt, IMO.

[EFerrari]

12. Another killing tonight, in Alabama

http://www.thenation.com/blog/163564/another-execution-set-tonight-time-alabama

We're on a roll.

[laruemtt]

13. the baggers must be

orgasmic................

[ScreamingMeemie]

15. Yes...um...look past your outrage and notice it was discussed yesterday...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1976718

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1983049

[TBF]

18. Not everyone is on here 24/7 ... nt

[ScreamingMeemie]

19. Myself included. But...I at least look to see if there are threads on the subject

I wish to talk about before attempting to shame others. :hi:

[TBF]

21. Yes, I always do a search before posting. With this particular topic I'm not

surprised to see a lot of redundant threads this morning though - highly controversial.

[Township75]

24. Some of us dont' have a search option.

I guess you don't either. So you must look through 3+ hours of posts on every board to make sure a topic was covered before you post, right? And you do this to every post someone makes too, right? Or do you do it only to posts with themes you agree with??

If I want to model myself after someone like you, I NEED this info!!

[ScreamingMeemie]

29. Ummm, no. Here's the thing. You can click on search, and do the

Google search of DU of the subject you're interested in. If you Google search James Byrd, or Texas execution, all of these threads come up in about 3 seconds...not 3 hours. I do this search when I am about to post something that doesn't show up on the front page of DU. I'm glad I could help you there. Please don't model yourself after me...I would let you down at some point. :)

[Township75]

31. Oh, but now more than ever, I will model myself after YOU!

Before I met you, I thought the search option was only for donors. It had been that way many years ago on DU...so much so that I never bothered clicking it again. And embarssingly, I never even noticed the search bar at the top until you made me click on the Search Icon. No joking, no sarcasm.

You have opened my eyes, you have taught me...you have made me a better person.

I don't use a word like "Hero" often, but you ScreamingMeemie, are a hero!

[efhmc]

16. The problem with executing the guilty is that sometimes those

who are not guilty are killed too. I know I am stating the obvious but I for one am not willing to take that chance.

[Quantess]

23. Just, FYI:

A lot of people in other countries don't really care either way. So, it isn't the "entire world" that feels disgust at last night's execution. I tried to get a Swedish lady engaged in the topic while we saw it on Swedish news, and she said "he shot a policeman, right?" I replied, "well, a lot of people say he's innocent, though". I stated my opinion, that "why can't he just sit in jail, why do they have to execute him?" Total disinterest. She seems less troubled by the execution than I am.

[Irishonly]

25. Still Against It

You are either for or against it. Life w/o the possibility of parole should be the sentence, IMHO.

[Shagbark Hickory]

28. See! How is death adequate punishment for a crime like that?

A criminal like that needs to live out their days in prison, with rapings and stabbings and gang violence and all the joys of prison.