Jaxon

I like how you edited your post to laugh at "DP". Because... I laughed as well.

Yeah, I just believe in the sanctity of human life. I don't think vengeance, retribution, or "justice" are acceptable rationale for giving the State the right to kill people. As for the arguments that it saves on prison overcrowding and whatnot, ignoring the fact that as has been mentioned, Death Row inmates can die of old before they even reach the chair, I think that when you start killing people off as a means to level the budget, you bring into question the rationale for even punishing murder in the first place.

RNB

I don't think that personal ethical choices really play into what the government's role is, that of protecting the its citizens in the most efficient way possible. In other words, the government does not punish to dish out justice, but to hopefully keep it from happening again. You could argue that death row and even the actual execution cost a lot of money, but that is only based off of our current system. I don't really buy into the whole "human rights, man" argument because I find that it is just another way of someone giving more value to their own subjective opinion of what "rights" humans ought to have.

A right is something that, by necessity, cannot be taken from you. A right is not something that should not be taken from you. If you want to call that a right, then sure, but at least don't forget to remember that it is your own personal opinion.

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"Nature loves to be hidden."

- Heraclitus

ACt

I'm against the death penalty because a lot of criminals are big, strong men who we could easily use in labour camps or mines or something. Bring back prison labour forces!

However, for truly violent and taboo crimes, I am fully for castration/sterilization. These people should not breed. Also, as a plus, how many gangs do you think would continue in crime knowing that if they get caught, they'll lose their balls? Clean up the streets while we're at it.

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It's amazing to me that, unlike in the real world, people on the internet will wear "everyone thinks I'm a moron" as a badge of honour.

Axiom

I'm on the fence about capital punishment. I know. I know. 'Fucking fence sitters', but I would prefer to walk a line appose to ignorantly stepping to one side or the other. And I haven't really given the subject its deserved diligence, like perhaps many of you have.

In most cases, I would say I'm against it, because of this:
Not having the power to give life back to the dead, makes it seem irrational to take it. Particularly if there is the possibility, albeit slim, that a mistake could be made. It seems much more prudent to afford the necessary effort needed, to identify and root out the causes of such criminal behavior. Its kind of upsetting to think that so many go threw life as law abiding citizens, simply to retains ones freedom.

On the other side of the curve. I may be inclined to think if a criminal has shown a blatant disregard for his fellow mans life, then his own may be forfeited. But as was mentioned that really doesn't fix anything, except perhaps to give a sense retribution and satisfaction. Which isn't akin justice.

Jaxon

If you accept that as government's mandate, then that means you're fine with losing all personal freedoms. "Protecting its citizens in the most efficient way possible" has resulted in the Patriot act, "justification" for two foreign wars and the international stigmatisation of US citizens in the last decade alone.

I agree that the purpose of the criminal justice system is to prevent further crimes from happening. However, I do not believe that the systematic killing of those responsible is either necessary or morally correct. These are personal ethics, yes, but so is the view that someone who takes a life forfeits the right to their own. There is no natural law that states the value of human life, we give it value. And I think that if we value human life so much as to make ending it malevolently a crime, then that should be reflected in the way our society deals with that crime.

RNB

It might be able to be used as a justification, but I don't think it actually justifies what they have done. Regardless of whether the wars were practical or not, they are fought in the most impractical way possible.

I also don't see how I would be fine with losing all personal freedoms. There is a certain amount of freedom that citizens have to have so that their government is actually protecting them, and not endangering them. The government is made up of citizens, too, meaning that they are also a danger to other citizens. When I mean that a government's job is to protect its citizens, I mean that it ought to protect from outside forces, as well as each other. Plus, government is necessary for there to be any freedom.

I value my own existence. People ought to value their own existence, since it is necessary that they value it prior to valuing anything else, (valuing anything else predetermines that they value their own existence). In order to keep my life from being war-stricken, it is practical to form a pact of nonaggression with others. There will be people who disagree, and it is the job of everyone who wants a society of nonaggression, to subdue those who want to initiate force. That is just what you get from valuing your own existence, first and foremost.

__________________
"Nature loves to be hidden."

- Heraclitus

OG

im more referring to the murderers that clearly had the intent to kill [sometimes killing more than one person] but only get a few years of prison or life in prison. i think its rare that a innocent person gets the death sentence, im not saying its impossible.

I just think jails are unproductive and the ones that do the big crimes like murders deserve more than a few years that they are handed. I dont believe jail time helps any of the criminals in any way. Its more of trying to bore them to death. Even then, they arent that bored, they have schedules they have to keep with to keep em busy, depending on what their crime was, theres extracurricular activities/classes they can participate in, hell some prisons even have cable tv.

If we went by ACT's post, would be better <.< make jailz into a sweatshop so they pay for their own expenses XD

drugs, theft, scams.

kluang

Well peaceful demonstration is met with

too many roadblocks

rude policemen that shout at women

tear gasses

water cannons

but we kept our cool and not attack them and overall is a successful one.

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OG

any video footage?

kluang

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqCmcF7pZZI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45vbLjCSzUo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI6EBPV53is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfipVG2lkEg

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ACt

Is it just me or are there just a whole lot more revolting people in the world these days?



(Also, heard Egyptian protester took back to the streets in Cairo, unsatisfied with the new governments speed to change and prosecution of Mubarak's people. DarthNero may get back to us with more stories soon.)

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It's amazing to me that, unlike in the real world, people on the internet will wear "everyone thinks I'm a moron" as a badge of honour.

Demi-God

Nah, same amount. Just more coverage.

Numinous

Well, since we are talking about revolutions, just imagine what would happen if Michelle Bachmann was elected?

That bitch's crazy!

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LonelyNinja

My dad really wants Bachmann to get the Republican nomination so we can get an Obama v. Bachmann debate. Shit would be so cash. But if she or Palin (or, Odin forbid, both) got elected then yeah, I'd probably take to the streets like a boss and burn them like the witches they must be.

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Nerox

How is she going to ban 95% of the internet?