I want to start this blog out with a question: If someone murdered a loved one of yours, would you be able to forgive them or see them live? What if that person didn't only murder a loved one of yours, but other people as well? Could you still see that person alive and well?
Let's face it, we're not all like the Amish; we cannot realistically forgive those who disregard the lives of others and say, "Oh, that's okay, you just messed up." and pretend like nothing happened. It's illogical to me to want to forgive those who have done wrong against us. Perhaps that's too eye-for-an-eye for you, but honestly, what's wrong with that? I don't consider it being evil and cruel to make it easier on society by getting rid of someone who obviously broke the law in more than one way, and in a cruel way, at that.
And before anyone pulls the, "But we're rehabilitating them!" crap on me, let me stop you right there and say that I've seen plenty of statistics that show that over half of the criminals that get shoved back into society recommit at some point and go right back to jail. Yay, more tax dollars! That is where they're going, you know.
I'm aware that the death penalty itself is pricey. However, just because I support the death penalty doesn't mean I'm dumb enough to think that they would use it anymore often than they already do if it was kept legal. People don't hand out the death penalty like a free door prize; you obviously have to do something serious enough to earn it. By then, you have to also consider if the person can be held responsible for their actions. Sure, a select few are deemed insane and carted off to a mental institution. I am far more supportive of that than I am letting sick people go 'free'. People who are honestly mentally insane and cannot distinguish right from wrong deserve help--those who know right from wrong and still choose to go the wrong path should not.
To sum this all up, I support the murder of people who violate someone else's right to live.
=D
While I see your reasoning for the death penalty, I must disagree. I cannot condone the use of the death penalty. I feel that humans do not have the, for lack of a better word, 'authorization' to take another human's life. By authorization, I mean...that humans cannot be the ones to deal out death. Whether there is a god or not, I still do not think that a judge or jury can decide if someone is to die.
Honestly, I would not be able to forgive someone who took the life of someone precious to me, but I do not believe in the 'eye for an eye' philosophy. I do not think that killing just because someone killed is justifiable. Sure, more tax dollars sending them to jail, but there are so many people in jail that are not eligible for the death penalty, so one or two mass murders gone won't make too much of an economical impact.
I already feel that the government is over-extending it's power, and by giving it the power to deal judgement on human life is just an extra extension of power.
Well, I think the fact that there are so many people in jail has a lot to do with the fact that we're willing to put people in jail for a lot of things that don't warrant it, such as drugs and stuff. People who commit drug-related crimes, to me, fall under the category of needing rehabilitation help more than they need jail time.
People who warrant enough jail time because they've killed for years don't seem to me like they want a second chance at life.
I believe that the death penality should not be weight by the victim or the victim's family, but for the betterment of society. Poeple must take a strong look at the person that may be headed up death row. Can the person eventually provide society with something beneficial? Or is he just a waste of time, space, and money. I do believe that most people in the world are beneficial or can eventually become beneficial to society. I do not want to make the human being an object that is weight on a scale of standards of what would be considered "good" for society, but their is a small minority lurking our streets that think humans are objects and they treat poeple like toys. For this type of person that has a mind but not a conscience might need some electric shock. But agian that is really hard to judge.
I do not believe a serial killer could be beneficial to society. I'm a very fond researcher of serial killers--they're interesting and I continue to find things I like about them--but I would never consider any of them fit for society ever again.
They think that lots of prisoners will be beneficial--it doesn't explain how 60% of criminals come back.