The Death Penalty - are you for or against it and why?

[Epimethean]

You continue to miss the point of my argument, Jer. I am NOT arguing that anyone convicted of murder or rape should automatically qualify for the death penalty. I am, however, arguing that the death penalty has its place as a means of removing repeat offenders in the rape and murder categories. If you want to be kinder and gentler and keep them around, that's your business. I do not want them around, nor am I embarrassed to say so. Building more and more prisons is a stupid method of dealing with post adjudication populations. White collar criminals should be in supervised non-institutionalized work settings, making good on their offenses, the non-violent drug using offenders should be in non-penal settings, dealing with addiction and getting the help they need. First time murderers and rapists SHOULD be in prison, and if there are appeals to be made, they are the ones who may merit such being heard. Multiple rapists and murderers are an unfortunate human byproduct and should be terminated.

You seem to think that I am suggesting that, should a man be convicted of vehicular manslaughter, I want him to go straight to the chair. Try to be a bit more realistic. If someone has raped more than one person, has killed more than one person, and especially if that person has done so, been imprisoned, subsequently released, and repeated the offense, get that fucker out of the ranks of the living.

You sound like someone who has never known anyone who has been raped, met anyone who has lost someone to murder, or seen how the criminal legal system works. Sweet naivete-but naivete nonetheless.

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Still don't see that wonderful solution you have there for either reversing death or screening out innocents.

However, I applaud Napoleons and Epi's great portrayal of the arch conservative -- "They're just human trash. Let's waste 'em".

Prove me otherwise, given (speaking to Epi) what you wrote. As far as I can see Epi, all you've made as an argument is "They're worthless because they are." and then used that as an argument.

I'm sorry, but statistics and that niggling problem at the top indicate otherwise. So, as much as you like to spout off rhetoric, I'm going to need assurances.

The fact that you advocate a clearly flawed, overly expensive and irreversible solution with no way of reversing a flawed judgement, no way of dealing with the flaws existent in the current system and no rationale other than defining them as human garbage or emotional appeals.

Face it Epi, you're grasping at fundamental straws. Such a shame you've got an interest (working with the prison system) in perpetuating it.

Pity.

Read what I wrote above, Syn. I have worked in the criminal system and have seen its failings. You can argue for the value of human life until you are blue in the face: It is meaningless when you are dealing with psychopaths and sociopaths who repeat their violent crimes. There is NO compelling reason to keep these beings alive. If you believe that they have worth, build a home for them in your backyard and pay for it yourself.