MovieChat Forums > Monster (2004) Discussion > Thoughts on Capital Punishment?

Thoughts on Capital Punishment?

posted 11 years ago by Jad777
24 replies | jump to latest

Posted this elsewhere but as it's relevant posted here too.

I know some people don't ever deserve to see the light of day and should be incarcerated indefinitely, but do you agree in the states decision to take another human beings life?

My thoughts have changed over the years and I use to believe in it, reserved for the most horrendous of crimes, however now I don't and am vehemently opposed to the concept of death row.

If you really believe it's necessary to kill someone, then at least get it over with as soon as possible.

Do you agree or disagree on Capital Punishment?

" First you wanna kill me, now you wanna kiss me. Blow. "

[–] Degree7 11 years ago

Personally, I find the concept abhorrent. We're not living in the Middle Ages anymore where we have to satisfy our judgmental bloodlust for some divine concept of justice.

Now, if someone raped and murdered a close family member of mine, I wouldn't say that I wouldn't acquire a gun and blow the motherf**er away if I could, but at the end of the day it's only causing more misery and pain and that would make me a WEAK-WILLED individual. Compassion for life is not a weakness, it is a strength, and it is what separates us from the animals.

If there is one truth, it is that only love can change the world, and lead us along the way to seeing any kind of goodness or light. We don't know what leads people to kill other people most of the time, we don't know what kind of person they *really* are or what kind of life they've led. We cannot look into their hearts. We can see their actions, and we must distance ourselves from their actions by not replicating what they have done, for whatever reason.

For example, what would Jesus do? What would Ghandi do? Hell, if the Pope can forgive a man who tried to assassinate him, then anyone can.

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[–] WileyDairyGnome 11 years ago

I completely agree with you. I'm not a religious person, but wanting someone to die purely for the sake of revenge just isn't healthy. Capital punishment does not deter crime, so it's a really sick thing to let happen seeing as it serves no purpose whatsoever.

[–] liscarkat (16602) 3 months ago

Puke.

[–] liscarkat (16602) 3 months ago

[deleted]

[–] unknown_soul278 11 years ago

My biggest issue with capital punishment is someone spending decades on death row. It is expensive and pointless, and there should be limits imposed once appeals are exhausted.
I know there are people who think I am terrible, but I really think it is difficult for anyone to say they would always be opposed to the death penalty until they have been in the position of having a loved one killed in what qualifies as a capital crime. People who are opposed now may change their mind if they are ever in that situation. It is like I have known women who strictly opposed abortion until they are
put in the position of having to make that choice. It is easy to judge without experience, and I do hope it remains that easy for everyone.

[–] wldburton 11 years ago

Totally against regardless of the crime.

As for what you say about people changing their minds when a friend or relative is killed. Well, its not always true. The Kennedy's did everything they could to save Bobby Kennedy's assassin from execution because they were against capital punishment. Several families of the victims of Timothy McVeigh were like that as well.

If someone killed a close friend or relative of mine yes, I would want that person dead. I wouldnt want the state to do it though. Id probably want to kill the person myself but I know that that is wrong and am against vigilante "justice." Wanting to kill the person is an emotional over reaction motivated purely by revenge. Society has to be better than the individual.

Also there are the risks of killing an innocent person. Until they figure out how to resurrect a wrongfully executed person I will be against killing them. At least with a prison sentence they can be released if it is eventually proven they were not guilty. Cant do that with a dead person. Id rather keep 1000 serial killers alive in jail than to risk killing one innocent person along with them. If the state kills an innocent person that is blood on all of our hands. I dont want that or to even risk having it happen.

Then there is the company we'd be keeping. The US and Japan aside the west has totally abandoned it. They still manage to have a lower overall crime rate than countries with the death penalty too. Personally id rather have my country on the same list as say France, Spain, the UK, Australia, Italy etc than on the list that has Iraq, China, North Korea, Somalia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia - Texas. They got rid of it here 30 years ago. In practice it hasnt been used here in 50 years. I hope it never comes back.

[–] babel_on_5 11 years ago

I still believe in it, but only if a person is convicted not beyond a reasonable doubt but beyond ANY doubt, and only for the most heinous of crimes:

1. Acts of terrorism that result in the loss of life;
2. Crimes against children and the elderly that result in loss of life;
3. Rape that involves torture and permanent physical injury or death, especially if the victim is underage or elderly;
4. Especially heinous murders involving torture;
5. Mass/spree/serial killers;
6. Politicians/"public servants" who seriously violate the public trust.

***
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Sweet corporate entity. -Perry Mason (show) 1959

[–] deem714 11 years ago

forget religion because apparently religion has forgotten us...

think money.... we spend hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars housing, warming, feeding, SCHOOLING, CABLING, and WEIGHTLIFTING these turds...

I vote for capital punishment... and forget this death row for ten years crap.

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however in aileen's case, I am against it for her.

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[–] IMDB-is-for-nerds 11 years ago

So as far as you're concerned they're just numbers, not actual human beings who have just as much right to live as you do? And don't give me that "they lost their rights to life when they murdered and raped!" crap. This is what separates us from them- the fact that we still value human life. this is what proves we are better than them. Capital punishment is an eye for an eye- it's revenge, not justice. "We'll show you how wrong killing is..... by killing you!". That doesn't make a whole heap of sense to me. And yes, like a lot of other people here, if someone I loved was murdered, I'd want to see the killer dead. I'd want to pull the switch myself. And it is for this exact reason every care is taken to ensure the justice system is as impartial as possible. Because killing is not justice, it's an emotional response. Simple as that.

Oh and BTW, they're educated in prison to ensure that they don't make the same mistakes if they're ever released, and are able to act as decent members of society, and give back to the society you seem to feel they are such a drain on.

Exactly. Boo.

[–] machorne 10 years ago

I am totally for the death penalty. My sister was brutally murdered by an ex boyfriend. He broke into her house while she was sleeping, beat her in the head with a 2x4. In his confession he said her whole body tensed up, trying to breath as blood spewed from her nose and mouth and ears. So to end her her suffering (suffering that he caused) he choked her until she was dead. He then stole her car and money, went to buy crack and came back to her house just to make sure she was dead. When he realized she was truly dead, he sat next to her body and smoked his crack. So screw him and anyone else who says to me that he doesn't deserve to die. Until you've been in my shoes, anyone's argument against the death penalty will fall in deaf ears and anyone else in my family. He can call and write letters to his family from prison. He even has a prison pen pal page to make new friends. My sister will never have the chance to make new friends. Or call us. Or visit us. So until you've been in our shoes or anyone who has had a loved one murdered, your anti-death penalty arguments mean *beep* to me.

[–] leybadana 9 years ago

My sister was brutally murdered by an ex boyfriend. He broke into her house while she was sleeping, beat her in the head with a 2x4. In his confession he said her whole body tensed up, trying to breath as blood spewed from her nose and mouth and ears. So to end her her suffering (suffering that he caused) he choked her until she was dead. He then stole her car and money, went to buy crack and came back to her house just to make sure she was dead. When he realized she was truly dead, he sat next to her body and smoked his crack. So screw him and anyone else who says to me that he doesn't deserve to die. Until you've been in my shoes, anyone's argument against the death penalty will fall in deaf ears and anyone else in my family. He can call and write letters to his family from prison. He even has a prison pen pal page to make new friends. My sister will never have the chance to make new friends. Or call us. Or visit us. So until you've been in our shoes or anyone who has had a loved one murdered, your anti-death penalty arguments mean *beep* to me.

That is horrific, i'm so sorry. is this pos still living? what a f'n bastard. your poor mother losing her baby to a pos like this... u r right, people have no right to judge unless they've been in this situation. my father was murdered when i was 12 so i am 4 the dp as well.

There is no one looking out for us. We are all alone. Graham Hess

[–] machorne 9 years ago

I'm very sorry for the loss of your father. And 12 years old, such a tender age. So sorry! And yes. The POS that killed my sister is still living. He's in graceville prison in Florida. He didn't qualify for the death penalty. I don't know why. They said there are certain things that had to have happened before he would qualify for it. She's dead. He killed her. Shouldn't that be enough to qualify?? I don't know what gets in someone's head that they think they can decide when someone's time on earth should be over.

[–] basketcasebelial 10 years ago

Kill 'em all.

[–] lauriellen 10 years ago

I am opposed to the death penalty. It's cold and barbaric. Killing someone for revenge is bad, but it's more honorable than sitting back and deciding to kill someone in the cold light of day on a convenient schedule.

As for getting it over with, where capital punishment is legal they have to be careful, especially without a confession. There's no going back; they can't fix a wrong verdict after someone's dead. And they have to leave room for appeals.

But if the person asks to be executed, I can see it, I guess. Then again, that could make that person into a martyr.

[–] CarFish-jcbnyc 9 years ago

The purpose of capital punishment is not revenge, nor is it to bring the victims back to life (as we are so often reminded by especially insightful geniuses); the purpose of capital punishment is to ensure that there will be no more victims.

And don't say that keeping the murderer in prison will solve the problem, because we have seen far too many times (once was more than enough) that as long as the murderer is alive, he or she can murder again.

"Facts are stubborn things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] nobodies666 10 years ago

Eye for an eye unless its self defense

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