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Major Nikon

(36,925 posts)

67. The death benefit is a negative to society

Sat May 16, 2015, 06:44 AM

May 2015

It's detrimental to victims and the family of criminals, it doesn't reduce crime, it unfairly discriminates against race and gender, and it costs more. The application of the death penalty in an imperfect justice system also insures innocent people will be put to death.

Comparing the death penalty to abortion is ridiculous. Claiming that not using the death penalty is "denying justice" is just as bad. It's more like denying vengeance, which has exactly zero to do with justice.

There is no moral case for the death penalty in a society that can afford to segregate certain criminals for life. If the best argument you have against all of this is a bible verse, you have no argument.

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Thoughts on the Death Penalty [View all] Jackpine Radical May 2015 OP

I'm 100% against the death penalty. onehandle May 2015 #1

+1 daleanime May 2015 #44

k&r uppityperson May 2015 #2

And then there was one less ten commandments seveneyes May 2015 #3

Those are the exact reasons I'm against the death penalty. NuclearDem May 2015 #4

Agree, but life in a supermax prison may be worse JustABozoOnThisBus May 2015 #5

Why a Supermax? Jackpine Radical May 2015 #9

I have no reason, other than the debates on DU over the last few days. JustABozoOnThisBus May 2015 #10

23 hours a day of solitary confinement for life. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #13

Here's what that "nothing" causes: F4lconF16 May 2015 #39

The American Oubliette... haikugal May 2015 #58

it is torture Voice for Peace May 2015 #59

Close the supermax. End life without parole eligibility. morningfog May 2015 #11

Agree. Thank you. nt F4lconF16 May 2015 #65

The Horror seveneyes May 2015 #15

+1 Jefferson23 May 2015 #6

I am against the death penalty, across the board petronius May 2015 #7

Across the Board seveneyes May 2015 #17

For decades it's been a fact that states without the death penalty have lower murder rates......... George II May 2015 #38

Correlation is not causation. rogerashton May 2015 #8

I'm quite aware of how to interpret a correlation. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #12

Getting up off the floor literally malaise May 2015 #16

What if the murder rate in those states would be higher without the DP? NotoriousRBG May 2015 #19

Why might that be? Jackpine Radical May 2015 #24

If only you had some peer reviewed evidence to back phil89 May 2015 #20

Peer-reviewed evidence? WTF is that? Jackpine Radical May 2015 #32

Makes sense to me, Doc. eom rogerashton May 2015 #66

Almost every other country in the world gets along just fine without a death penalty. SheilaT May 2015 #14

Almost every other country in the world gets along just fine with the USA picking up the defense tab seveneyes May 2015 #18

And how is that relevant to the death penalty? SheilaT May 2015 #21

So Goddamned relevant, it's often overlooked seveneyes May 2015 #22

Gosh. We have the death penalty so as to spare other countries from having it? SheilaT May 2015 #23

I trust we're dealing with a bit of Jackpine Radical May 2015 #25

Yep. Well, maybe more irony than sarcasm. Especially when SheilaT May 2015 #27

I guess the notion is that we're the wholesale death merchants to the world. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #29

Hmmm. I've been known to write science fiction, SheilaT May 2015 #33

Jeez, why not? Jackpine Radical May 2015 #34

I've already written a story in which SheilaT May 2015 #35

I so want to read that. F4lconF16 May 2015 #43

Sounds fascinating. BeanMusical May 2015 #51

Thanks for that. SheilaT May 2015 #57

It's so simple it is often ignored seveneyes May 2015 #26

Thanks for a great post!!!! +1000 nt Logical May 2015 #28

Ritualized Human Sacrifice. Downwinder May 2015 #30

100% against. No exceptions. Fearless May 2015 #31

I think it's good to keep Omnith May 2015 #36

Why? Jackpine Radical May 2015 #37

Society benefits by not having him part of it. Omnith May 2015 #42

How exactly was McVeigh part of society after he was incarcerated? nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #45

He wouldn't be in either case. Omnith May 2015 #47

You are referring me to a fiction book written under commission nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #48

I'm glad you hold life sacred Omnith May 2015 #49

I believe the state should not kill in my name nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #50

Cost to society? Omnith May 2015 #54

Funny, most nations can get along without murdering nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #55

I guess we just see things differently Omnith May 2015 #63

The death benefit is a negative to society Major Nikon May 2015 #67

+1 Well said. BeanMusical May 2015 #52

The death penalty is just the most extreme of our criminal system nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #40

I can't recommend this post enough. F4lconF16 May 2015 #46

Excellent contribution to this discussion Nadin. haikugal May 2015 #62

I fully agree. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #69

Grotesque. haikugal May 2015 #72

Add one more reason: criminal charges are more often brought against minorities and the poor jwirr May 2015 #41

Kick and R. BeanMusical May 2015 #53

I am opposed to the death penalty in all cases Blue_In_AK May 2015 #56

I'm in NC and I started out pro-death penalty, Jamastiene May 2015 #60

It really rings true to me. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #76

Am against the death penalty unless akbacchus_BC May 2015 #61

Then it sounds like you are against the death penalty in all cases Major Nikon May 2015 #68

great post, thought provoking, thank you! Voice for Peace May 2015 #64

Thank you so much for that! Jackpine Radical May 2015 #71

For many years I was on the fence about the death penalty davidpdx May 2015 #70

There is one place, and one place only hifiguy May 2015 #73

And that's the one place we in the US do not apply it. Seems the more people you kill, the less sabrina 1 May 2015 #74

Not even there, afaic. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #78

The death penalty is only one very visible facet... Orsino May 2015 #75

K&R! mvd May 2015 #77

Utah is a death penalty state... TeeYiYi May 2015 #79

A funny thing about geometric means-- Jackpine Radical May 2015 #80