The Death Penalty and Schwarzenegger

[tflon]

On January 19th of this year Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger allowed the first death sentence to be served in three years, and the first under Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. That is almost copied straight from a news site (because honestly if I hadn’t, there’s no way I’d have been able to spell Arnie’s name!)

Anyway, I recently caught an ad for a movie on Court TV called The Exonerated. It’s based on true stories of several people who spent years on death row for crimes they didn’t commit. The original version was a play which inspired my interest in the subject of the death penalty. I specifically remember one guy who spent something like 20 years on death row before finally being cleared.

Now before someone jumps all over me: I’m not saying that the guy who was just executed in California was innocent. But does anyone think it’s acceptable that even one innocent person could be executed? I think it’s about time this country joins the rest of the civilized world and adopts a more humane approach. For those of you still on the fence on this issue, I’d check out this movie, because if it’s anything like the play the personal stories will astound you. I think it airs on January 27 (but check courttv.com just in case I’m wrong). And if you have thoughts on this issue, I’d like to hear them.

Sylvio

[Illusional]

i support the death penalty 100 percent.

raverboy

[Innova]

It flaws in the system, and unfortunatly can never be truly fixed. There is too few innocents vs. guilty in death row.

Its sad but true, and honestly the US prisons are vastly becoming overfilled, so I see the Death Penalty as the only way to get rid of murders, rapists, etc.

[TurboDieselluv]

ya well, he who has not sinned shall throw the first stone.

[Innova]

Perhaps, but eventually you find out that nothing is ever 100% efficient. Perfect is but a word drempt from a poet thousands of years ago.

[Junket]

Perhaps, but eventually you find out that nothing is ever 100% efficient. Perfect is but a word drempt from a poet thousands of years ago.

No, actually I invented that word.

[Cybog]

I think it’s about time this country joins the rest of the civilized world and adopts a more humane approach.

hahaha....maybe we could be more "lenient" with crimes, like China, Korea, any Middle Eastern Country, Russia...would this make you feel better? Firing squads, hangings, onsite executions, life sentences, ...stuff like that?

One of the worst parts of America is that we have one of the weakest "judicial" systems in existence. When criminals know that there is little to no retributions for their actions, they will continue to conduct their activities.

You need to realize something as well - Just because someone is found "innocent" does not in any way mean they are innocent. I have friends that have been caught red-handed smuggling drugs, weapons...you name it. Guess what - They have never seen the inside of a courtroom.

Man, lawyers are awesome.

But does anyone think it’s acceptable that even one innocent person could be executed?

Absolutely. In Russia, their military has a set amount of "acceptable" lives they can lose each year and be considered "In the Green" for that period. It's something like 20 or 30 (or higher, can't remember).

I would accept a judicial system to be the same way.

[url]http://www.amnesty.org.au/whats_happening/death_penalty/article?cid=10&pid=59&MySourceSession=95f311b0a8f6 f3f1afccc5385644613a[/url]

[url]http://www.amnesty.org.au/whats_happening/death_penalty/article?cid=20&pid=71&MySourceSession=95f311b0a8f6 f3f1afccc5385644613a[/url]

[url]http://www.amnesty.org.au/whats_happening/death_penalty/article?cid=10&pid=257&MySourceSession=95f311b0a8f 6f3f1afccc5385644613a[/url]

[url]http://www.amnesty.org.au/whats_happening/death_penalty/article?cid=10&pid=144&MySourceSession=95f311b0a8f 6f3f1afccc5385644613a[/url]

[Innova]

No, actually I invented that word.

LOL...*Smack*

[cbee]

Hmmm, so just because other countries also do similar things it's fine for your country to do something which (in my opinion) is morally wrong? If that was the case then we would never have got rid of things like slavery.

I have never understood the death penalty, how can two wrongs make a right? How can taking yet another life (be they innocent or guilty) make up for the loss of the first person's life? There will still be the hole in the first person's family, nothing will ever fix that.

Killing the offender is the "easy" and lazy way out, the USA has one of the highest levels of incarcerated people per head of population in the world. Surely the only way to go is to try to reverse that by education, creating jobs, better living conditions? (Have you ever seen those awful slums outside Washington? Parts of them look worse than parts of the Rio slums & that's saying somehting) Or maybe I'm just a wishy washy liberal type.

Oh and a bit off topic but something to think about, there were really interesting articles I was reading on Bush's inauguration speech on the way back in both Times and Newsweek about how the world in general is based on the European style of democracy (e.g. South African constitution & style of government etc was taken from the Germans) and how the American style of doing democracy is generally becoming defunct except in America. Not sure what I think on that one but interesting nevertheless.

[KirstyM]

I am completely against the death penalty, under any circumstances.

[KirstyM]

Its sad but true, and honestly the US prisons are vastly becoming overfilled, so I see the Death Penalty as the only way to get rid of murders, rapists, etc.

So why dont they tackle the problem of exactly why there are so many murderers and rapists in the US rather than just killing off people?

[Innova]

lol you honestly think its that easy?? It would take more money then America would ever have. Human moral is a very fickled area..every person is different, you cannot control a "Variable".

I don't like it anymore then anybody else..but honestly...your dreams are something nobody will ever see, as long as humans exist.

[KirstyM]

I didnt say it was EASY. But it's not impossible. IMO there is no excuse for the death penalty.

[Innova]

Think about it, is there ever a real excuse for some of human behavior.

[KirstyM]

It is unacceptable to use the death penalty