Can anyone help me write a critical review for this arguement?

Question

1 [ Capital punishment should be abolished.] This is because 2 [it is just another way our country oppresses non-European, non-white males.] Another reasons is that 3 [ capital punishment is essentially unjust.
4 [If over 80% of death-row inmates are African-American males, then capital punishment is just another way of oppressing non-European, non-white males.] Since 5 [over 80% of death-row inmates are African-American males], it must be the case that 6 [ capital punishment is just another way this country oppresses non-European, non-white males.]
There is other evidence for our systematic oppression of non-European, non-white males as well: Since 7 [a disproportionate number of African-American males are below the poverty line,] and since 8 [ one out of every two African- American males will be victims of a violent crime before they are 21 years old.] and since 9 [ it is more likely that an African-American male in a big city will be shot than graduate from college

Answer 1

You're off to a good start. Check out the Baldus study as a good source of backing for your argument of the prejudices against African American males within the judicial system, as related to capital punishment. It give additional specific statistics as to the amount of African American Men sentenced to death when the victim is white, as opposed to black, as well as contrasted with the same crime, when the perpetrator is white. In short, they've proven with these statistics that an African American Man cannot get a fair trial, when capital punishment is an option, in the state of Georgia. If this is true of any state in the nation, then it should (as a country of "United" States) stand for the rest, thereby Capital punishment is not just, and should be abolished. In addition, this practice (of prejudice within the jury) goes against the premise that you are innocent until proven guilty. By virtue of someone's color of skin, that assesment has already been made. As it is not a fair trial of your peers, then it is a breach of the justice system.

Good luck!

Answer 2

This is the way I see the argument:

1)The US oppresses non-white, non-european males (group X).
1a) Evidence for this is:
A) over 80% of death-row inmates are X
B) a disproportionate number of X are below the poverty line.
C) 1/2 of all X will be victim to a violent crime before 21.
D) It is more likely that a given X in a big city will be shot than graduate college.


This conditional needs work:
"If over 80% of death-row inmates are X, then capital punishment is a way of oppressing X"

Also
"Capital punishment is essentially unjust" needs qualification.

The conclusion you want, namely "Capital punishment should be abolished" needs to follow from the premises. So you will need to traverse the is/ought distinction, going from facts to action. And that takes some additional ethical argument.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is-Ought_Problem

Answer 3

You misspelled argument. As for a critique:

Is the point that capital punishment should be abolished, or that "our country" (which one? the USA?) oppresses non-European, non-white males? These two things seem like separate issues for argument, but they are linked together in the remarks. Also, the second and sixth statements are identical. The third remark is completely arbitrary.

If it is an argument against capital punishment alone, it should cite more than just racially-slanted statistics. If it is an argument that "our country" opresses certain people, capital punishment should be only one example. If it is an argument that capital punishment is racially skewed, then I understand the connection, but I don't see that number seven is a strong point unless you include some ideas on the cost of good legal cousel. Number eight and nine point out statistics for victims of crimes, not necessarily those who commit them (or are at least convicted of commiting them), and the punishment that follows. Overall I would say that this is a very loose group of statements for an argument.

Answer 4

You could also use the argument that capital punishment does not deter crime.

Answer 5

what about those who are wrongly accused and executed before they are proven innocent?theres no way you will ever convince me that everyone ever executed was guilty beyond a reason of a doubt.