Would you support public hangings for those convicted of capital crimes? Also, do you believe that public execution is a deterent for those committing crimes? My opinion is not in this question, and will be posted later. Thank you!
2007-10-16 07:05:44 · 9 answers · asked by Lisa M 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
I don't believe hanging to be cruel or unusual; I think it is the best way to perform an execution, not to mention the cheapest. However, a public execution has been viewd by some as cruel, and that is why I put it in my question.
2007-10-16 07:15:03 · update #1
Thank you for all of the information. What I really want to know is do you support public executions?
2007-10-16 07:28:24 · update #2
Certainly hanging is not an unusual punishment and is still available as an option to people facing the death penalty in Washington state.
It is the public part of hanging, or any execution, that is a problem. It is enough that the person is dying and will be unable to commit the crime any further. It is not necessary that the person be subjected to public humiliation.
Since public execution by hanging was the norm until as recently as 1936 and crime was still very prevalent in the time before that, I would say public executions do not serve as a deterrent. Consider the roaring 20s and all the gangsters who went right ahead and shot whomever they pleased with no fear of hanging.
I personally am against public execution. I think that ones death, even that of very terrible men or women, should not be a matter for public ridicule.
2007-10-16 07:25:32 · answer #1 · answered by bsandyman 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not against the death penalty across the board. there are some cases, i believe, that merit it.
Public hangings? I'm not sure what good it would do. I'll say no.
Also, hanging was permitted when the Bill of Rights was adopted.
Therefore it is not cruel and unusual punishment even with the prohibition in effect.
PS the Constitution was AMENDED to end slavery.
If people feel the Constitution is "evolving" without amendment then why have one at all? If it's whatever people say it is on a particular day then it's fairly meaningless.
Q.E.D.
2007-10-16 14:09:28 · answer #2 · answered by American citizen and taxpayer 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I define "cruel and unusual punishment" as torture.
Death doesn't fall under this but I don't think death penalty is included either. The constitution never mention anything about death penalty, therefore it's neither constitutional nor unconstitutional. Basically, if you should punish someone, it must not include torture.
In my opinion, lifetime imprisonment is torture and they should just die since they really have no chance in getting back into the society anyway.
Killing criminals is not judgment nor retribution, rather a method to protect the innocent no different than killing invading armies who'd harm you and your love ones. Sure it is murder, but not all murders are punishable by law.
2007-10-16 14:24:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Capital punishment is NOT a crime deterrent. If it were, Texas would have one of the lowest crime rates in the country, but they do not. They have one of the highest. As someone else pointed out, states without capital punishment tend to have lower murder rates.
2007-10-16 14:23:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
To the person who wrote:
"Hanging was permitted when the Bill or Rights was adopted."
So was slavery. Also there are plenty of letters and diaries written by the Founding Farmers that suggest that the Constitution would could and should evolve with the society for which it would govern.
2007-10-16 14:14:49 · answer #5 · answered by L 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Since the states that do not have capital punishment tend to have the lowest crime rates the deterrent value of capital punishment does not exist.
2007-10-16 14:10:09 · answer #6 · answered by davidmi711 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Public executions were not considered cruel and unusual until recent years. I wouldn't watch a hanging but if you kill someone, you deserve to die. Eye for an eye.
2007-10-16 14:13:33 · answer #7 · answered by Lex 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Hanging is too quick for the more heinous crimes today - I support burning at the stake.
2007-10-16 14:09:54 · answer #8 · answered by Lavrenti Beria 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
No, all killing is murder whether justified or not.
If our constitution and bill of rights were created with religious values but no religious connotations, its evident our fore fathers would have known about "Thou shall not kill".
2007-10-16 14:11:43 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋