Why I'm against the death penalty:

[conuly]

1. It seems rather hypocritical. Killing people is wrong. Killing people who've killed people... is wrong. But if you're the state, killing people who've killed people is all right?
1a. Going along with that, the put inmates on death row on suicide watch. That's just petty... does it really matter at whose hand they die?

2. It does not seem to do anything about the crime rate, the US simultaneously has one of the highest per capita violent crime rates AND one of the highest per capita execution rates in the world. If it does not act as a deterrent, what is the point? I do not believe it is up to the state to exact vengeance on criminals. Again, petty.

3. It is nearly impossible to fully determine guilt in most cases. Even a small error risk is too great when dealing with life and death. If you imprison someone falsely, you can let them out. You can never resurrect the dead.

4. This is not my actual reason, but it'll do in a pinch... The death penalty is not meted out fairly. If you are black, you have a disproportionate chance of being executed as compared to white people. If you're Texan, you are at a greater risk than a New Yorker. Crimes against minorities are less severely punished. And so on. However, even if that were fixed, I'd still be against the death penalty.

Comments

[conuly]

I don't think it works in real life, though. I doubt that the ownership of weapons has anything to do with the behaviour of individuals... and, while the proliferation of nuclear weapons may have kept the cold war, um, cold, I'm not altogether certain that this is the best way to prevent wars.

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

....It was a metaphor.

[conuly]

*sighs*

Why did you use a metaphor that has no relevance? And then say it was true?

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

Diplomatically, it's true. When you know someone else is armed, you tread lightly. It's a diplomatic thing. And I DID say that it was a joke.