i have following question for those who believe we should not have death penalty?

Question

if somebody kill your family like your little brother, sister , and your mother or father, do you still believe we should not have death penalty for that murderer? why?

Answer 1

The reason why I don't believe in the death penalty is because I believe that it will just give them a vacation! They don't have to sit and rot in prison for the rest of their lives, to think about what they did.

If you really want the murderer to suffer, they need to sit and rot in prison for the rest of their lives just so they can torture themselves with the thought of their own actions. They won't be able to live with themselves. Then they get to be tortured even more when they reach the after life!

However, there are cruel, evil people that just don't care. Then they should get the death penalty.

Answer 2

I like the way my friend Charles said it: "I support the death penalty only when it is executed by the intended victim of the crime at the time and place of the crime."

I believe the only time that it is acceptable to kill another person is in self-defense (or in defense of your family). Since a modern executioner is in no way endangered by his victim, it is not justifiable. Every American not only has the right to self-defense, but also in some way has a civic duty to fight back against murderers and other aggressors, in order to protect future prospective victims. This is why I support gun rights. Individual people should protect themselves, rather than rely on the government to do it for them.

But I think that a government, if it is to be perceived as good, should not be in the business of killing people. It must instead set a good example in valuing human life.

Thus, to answer your question directly, if someone tried to kill my family, I would hope to catch the murderer in the act and kill him first. But if I fail, and the police subdue him first so that he is no longer a threat to anyone, I still would not want the government to kill him. I am sure I would struggle with these thoughts, but the part of me that says "two wrongs don't make a right" would probably win out.

Answer 3

I think the speech that Dennis Shepard gave in "The Laramie Project" sums it up pretty well:

"...Judy has been quoted as being against the death penalty. It has been stated that Matt was against the death penalty. Both of these statements are false. I, too, believe in the death penalty. I would like nothing better than to see you die, Mr. McKinney. However, this is the time to begin the healing process, to show mercy to someone who refused to show any mercy. Mr. McKinney, I am going to grant you life, as hard as it is to do so, because of Matthew. Everytime you celebrate Christmas, a birthday, the 4th of July, remember that Matt isn't. Everytime that you wake up in your prison cell, remember you had the opportunity and the ability to stop your actions that night. You robbed me of something very precious and I will never forgive you for that. Mr. McKinney, I give you life in the memory of someone who no longer lives. May you have a long life. And may you thank Matthew everyday for it."

More than all that, though, there is at least one other inherent problem with the death penalty--the vengeance aspect of it. Prisoners on death row are not allowed to commit suicide. Isn't that interesting? You'd think that people who the state had decided should no longer live should be allowed to die by whatever means, including by their own hand...but no--the death penalty isn't about death. It isn't about preventing the criminal from acting again. It's about revenge. And that, in my eyes, is the wrong reason to carry out the death penalty.

Answer 4

Would it be okay to answer your question with a question(s)?

Your question appears to be predicated on the false assumption that there is a tacit right to Hammurabi's code for 'an eye for an eye' etc. Furthermore, the attempt to elicit a response by making the question hypothetically personal, is a skewed as well as a failed tactic in support of capital punishment. I will agree, to an extent, that initial reaction to such a situation as you have portrayed, would seek revenge in it's worst manner. I will not argue against that.

A civilized, rational, and just society seeks justice that identifies a crime and responds in a way that separates the criminal from the non-criminal. The response should exhibit punishment but should also serve as a tool to better society as a whole. A response that merely reflects the crime committed does nothing to eradicate criminal actions; it merely perpetuates them! Thus, there is no deterrent value.

My question to you is would you find greater justice in a moment of bloodthirsty vengeance, or, would you rather see a 19 yr old murderer turn 21 behind bars? Be there for his/her 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th, birthday etc. Watching that person turn from young to old in a cage would bring daily satisfaction in my opinion. Prison justice has a way of balancing the scales as well. Keep that in mind as well. Finally, what would you prefer... death or life behind bars? You personally, would you rather die quickly or slowly over several decades? Perhaps the Tower of London had it's merits!

Answer 5

My mother in law was murdered by the government system failing her, should all of the government be put to death? I think not.

Answer 6

I don't think that the person should be put to death because I think that they suffer much more knowing that they will never get out of prison. Death is too easy in my opinion.

Answer 7

You're doing them a favor by ending their lives early. Wouldn't it be worse for them to have to live with themselves and the guilt of what they have done?

Better yet, perhaps karma will catch up with them and they'll watch one of their loved ones suffer or be killed equally as horribly?

Easy for me to say, I've not lost anyone dear to my heart as of yet.