A society that maintains a death penalty option is not an evolved society.

[Stinky The Clown]

Shame on America for maintaining it.

Yes, most death penalty sentencees are despicable people. This is not in their defense. It is about the small piece of ourselves we give with each such sentence.

Charles Manson is proof that life sentences can have meaning.

The Innocence Project is proof that we, as a society, are incapable of administering such an irrevocable determination.

[fascisthunter]

1. agreed... America is being forced backwards

by sociopaths and criminals

[slackmaster]

2. Unrec for presuming to speak on behalf of evolution

Evolution serves only to reinforce the expression of alleles that are most appropriate for survival as environmental conditions change.

I'm opposed to the DP too, STC, but I don't believe our side can rightly claim a monopoly in righteousness.

[Jackpine Radical]

7. You are discussing one particular kind of evolution.

Social evolution is a cultural phenomenon and doesn't necessarily involve genetic change.

[slackmaster]

11. I know. I'm just being difficult for the fun of it.

;-)

[Stinky The Clown]

14. I'm glad I amuse you

:eyes:

[slackmaster]

28. You're a clown. You frighten and amuse me.

:argh:

[stray cat]

3. Right to life groups use a similar line

[Bluerthanblue]

6. most RTL groups don't acknowledge the ability to evolve-

they only accept creationism.

[Cerridwen]

19. Elaborate, please. eom

[Greyhound]

24. Possibly the dumbest thing I've ever seen you write.

The so-called right to life groups do not acknowledge evolution, let alone use it in their arguments. Their position is based entirely on a misinterpretation of a fictional work.

[Dumpster Macaine]

4. "Evolved Society"

Hi "Stinky" :-) My name is Steven Trop, I agree with you. My father though, Al Trop, had a Supreme Court Case (Al Trop vs. John Foster Dulles) in the 1950's (you can look it up) where the "evolving society argument" gained precedent, and is used today against death penalty executions. Like I said, I agree with you. My father though would not. He was the type of guy who thought people should take responsibility for their actions. ..That's all I wanted to say.

[Bluerthanblue]

5. K&R with thanks- your illustration of Manson is good.

:hi:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. Disagree

There are those who choose to violate the laws of our society and cause grievous harm to others. By doing so they have forfeited their right to be part of our society. Whether it is the death penalty or life without parole, they need to be gone. There has clearly been problems with the death penalty in the past. However, a rigorous and fact based application passes both legal and ethical muster.

[JuniperLea]

10. There is a HUGE gap between...

The death penalty and life without parole.

The former is brutal and wrong; the later is sad, but necessary.

[Stinky The Clown]

16. You said, and I quote: "Whether it is the death penalty or life without parole, they need to be gon"

If you believe that, then why not just stay with life without parole?

[JuniperLea]

9. We are an infant society...

Compared to most of the rest of the world.

We are among the few remaining savage countries who still kill.

There's no asterisk after "Thou shalt not kill."

[flvegan]

12. Rather, a society of bloodlusting, vengeful idiots.

I mean, it's nice of society to want to let these criminals off early by killing them I suppose.

[RegieRocker]

13. Make a automated machine

that does the same thing to the criminal that they did to the victim. They write their own fate. Now what would you do with drug users? Give them more drugs? Exclude accidents (manslaughter).

[spanone]

15. murder is murder is murder.

we kill someone who had the audacity to kill someone.

[Richard Steele]

17. Agreed, on all points. K&R

[TexasObserver]

18. recommend

[Cerridwen]

20. K & R and

:hug:

Long time no see. My 'fault'. Long story. Don't ask.

:pals:

[Motown_Johnny]

21. how about someone who rapes a 2 year old girl in a department store aisle

after already being found guilty of raping a 7 year old girl?


God only knows how many other assaults he has committed but not been caught (maybe none, maybe dozens, maybe more than that).




If allowing people like that to continue existence is evolution then I am a throwback, and proud of it.

[Cerridwen]

23. That would be the 'legal' system not evolution. Do you know the

difference?

[bluedigger]

22. How about exile? - To the arctic, perhaps.

Why is it my responsibility to maintain every person incapable of coexisting in society? Let nature take it's course.

[krispos42]

25. Life in prison is also irrevocable. Either way, you leave in a body bag.

The fact that death penalty cases have a percentage (sizable percentage, even) of wrongly-convicted innocents implies that life-in-prison cases also have problems.

:shrug:


The flaws in the system run all the way through.

[Bill McBlueState]

26. about a quarter of the states don't have it

I'm not sure whether it should be "shame on America," "shame on the 37 states or so that have the death penalty," or "shame on the handful of states that perform nearly all the executions."

[Recursion]

27. I'm curious what you mean by "evolved"?

Evolution is a violent process.