For those of you who are anti-death penalty...

pinkshades05

This is a spin-off from sooner's post. I am curious--if you don't support the death penalty, what do you think about the killing of Osama bin Laden? I'm not looking to flame anyone. I'm just curious! Do you support it? Is that an exception?

And since MollySM brought it up--how do you feel about the military killing people? Going after dictators, taliban, etc.?

MollySm

And if people will bite, not just dictators and authority figures, but I was mostly thinking of other country's soldiers.  Who if anything like our country are probably mostly young men, family men, etc.  

runrinserepeat

I was extremely bothered at the way his death was, for lack of a better word, celebrated. Even thinking about it now, it doesn't sit right with me. Sorry, I struggle a lot with taking life, any life.

All of this talk is pushing me back towards veganism. DH is not going to be happy with you all  

pinkshades05

MollySm:

And if people will bite, not just dictators and authority figures, but I was mostly thinking of other country's soldiers.  Who if anything like our country are probably mostly young men, family men, etc.  

Very good point! That's a hard one to think about.

Vii Lii

When people were celebrating the killing of Osama Bin Laden, I was deeply saddened. To me I found it to be an unfortunate but necessary act, but certainly not one that should be celebrated. It reminded me of all the people who cheered in the Middle east after our twin towers fell. We were appalled by it, but yet we do the same thing. We justify it by saying he deserved it, but the sentiment over there isn't different. I find war to be such a sad thing, every aspect of it from both sides.

With that said, I was thinking about a lot of the crimes that are committed over seas in 3rd world countries and how perspective HAS to be different as a result. Honor killings occur in the middle east when a woman doesn't want to be sold off as a prostitute. Female babies are killed in India after they are born because they are females and their mothers fear the life they will grow up to have. I don't know what I would think as a person if I was raised surrounded by that, and that doesn't even mention the fact that they live on the same soil that war is being fought on.

Jen0204

I waffle on the death penalty.  On one hand, I feel like how do we have that right?  Especially since I believe in God and believe that He is the only one who can really judge, who are we to take someone else's life?  On a ridiculously simplified level, the reason for me being against would be the same reason I'm against spanking - how do you say that something is wrong to then turn around and do it yourself?  On a more practical level, it's actually more expensive to have someone on death row then it is to sentence them to life, so why are we, as taxpayers, stuck paying even more for these scum?

Of course, if something happened to one of my kids I don't think I would bat an eye if the person who did it was sentenced to death.  If there was something in place where the death penalty was off the table unless there was uncontested DNA evidence proving beyond a doubt that the person was guilty then I would be more okay with it.  Of course I'm sure there would still be a couple of mistakes, but not nearly as many.

Even though if you pinned me down for an answer I would say that I'm anti-death penalty, I was extremely relieved when bin Laden died.  I was on vacation with H and BIL in Vegas when I found out and I just started crying.  My uncle was a firefighter in midtown Manhattan and he died that day, and this provided a small sense of closure and retribution for my aunt and cousins (who were 9, 7, and 2 on 9/11).  I definitely would not say that I was happy because nothing about 9/11, the wars since, or someone dying is worth cheering about, but I was definitely not sad and I think the world is a better place without him.  

Think about when you hear about child molesters or murderers in jail being killed by the other inmates - is it right?  Of course not.  Should guards turn a blind eye?  Nope.  Will I lose any sleep over the world being without that person?  Not one wink.

btartaroind

I strongly believe in following what the Bible teaches. Whereas I don't believe in the death penalty (eye for an eye), God does give us the permission (and even direction) to defend our country during times of war. Osama Bin Laden falls in that category for me so I believe what was done was right.

I guess you can categorize people who commit violent crimes in some sort of 'war' with our country, so someone could probably convince me that the death penalty is okay. But at this point I don't agree with it. There is a pretty fine line between the two.

NatesLady1309

Jen0204:

On a more practical level, it's actually more expensive to have someone on death row then it is to sentence them to life, so why are we, as taxpayers, stuck paying even more for these scum?

 

I believe you but how is this? Explain? 

runrinserepeat

NatesLady1309:

Jen0204:

On a more practical level, it's actually more expensive to have someone on death row then it is to sentence them to life, so why are we, as taxpayers, stuck paying even more for these scum?

 

I believe you but how is this? Explain? 

I think it has a lot to do with the extensive appeals process that an inmate on death row will go through, as well as heightened security on death row.

frasey

Honestly I didnt really pay attention to the whole process. I think that if his death was collateral damage of the raid, then, well, things happen. But if they killed him on purpose, then I don't agree with that. He should be made to stand trial for war crimes, just as other leaders have. 

Same as when Saddam Hussein was hanged after a trial. I personally know an Iraqi who was affected by his regime (their uncle was a high-ranking military officer), and this does not change how I feel about this. Let them rot in jail, sure.

Jen0204

kleMcK:

NatesLady1309:

Jen0204:

On a more practical level, it's actually more expensive to have someone on death row then it is to sentence them to life, so why are we, as taxpayers, stuck paying even more for these scum?

 

I believe you but how is this? Explain? 

I think it has a lot to do with the extensive appeals process that an inmate on death row will go through, as well as heightened security on death row.

https://www.deathpenalty.org/article.php?id=42

This is just the first article I found when I googled "death row more expensive".  One sentence that really sticks out:

"California taxpayers pay $90,000 more per death row prisoner each year than on prisoners in regular confinement."

I think we can all probably agree that death row inmates are the worst of the worst generally speaking (not counting those who have limited mental capacity or are found innocent eventually), yet we spend more on them above and beyond what is spent on a normal inmate in an amount that is more then H and I make in a year?  And it's not even that we spend $90k on them, it's that we spend $90k more.  With the economy being as bad as it is I would rather we just move everyone off of death row then cut other programs.  

pinkshades05

I'm from California and know exactly what you mean about it being more expensive and drawn out. The death penalty is up for a vote, too, because it's so expensive!