Josef Fritzl could face up to 3,000 counts of rape - Page 2

Sarzy · August 28th, 2008, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honey

Half the UK want the death penalty brought back? I find that abit disturbing being anti myself

I wouldn't take that figure too seriously. These polls only ask a certain amount of people so I'm not sure they give a true representation.

tee-ha-ha · August 28th, 2008, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sputnik

a good example of this is desegregation of schools in the US. i'm sure if you'd put it to a vote, it wouldn't have passed. instead, they had to decide it and send in the national guard to make sure it was enforced.

That was only in certain parts of certain Southern states, not across the country as a whole, the most famous example being the court-ordered integration of Little Rock's Central High School in 1957. Jim Crow laws did not even exist in all fifty states, and schools in many northern states were integrated for decades before Brown v Board of Education, if they were segregated in the first place (which many weren't).

Quote:

and yeah, i know i wasn't precise enough. but i meant developed, democratic countries because, like i said, china's not exactly the best example to cite in order to justify your own country's use of the death penalty.

Who is justifying it? In the same post I said that I am not a DP supporter. Yes, some people need killing...that's for sure. I am not opposed to judicial executions per se. However, we're the DP country with the fairest and best justice system and there's still too much risk of executing an innocent person. I can't accept that. The DP also does not achieve its deterrance goal, which is one of the main arguments put forth by its supporters. It's pointless and stupid.

We execute people in extremely sterile and clinical conditions behind closed doors with extremely short lists of people permitted to witness the act. You can't film or photograph it. You can't apply to be a witness. Basically if you're not a prison employee, an invited member of the press, a member of the prisoner's family, or a member of the victim's family you will never get to see it. The people we WANT to see it, i.e. people contemplating murdering someone, will never see it. What's the point? If we can't show them what might happen to them, why do it at all? Even when we did hang people in public, did that stop people from killing each other? Of course not. Are some people so disgusting and despicable that they deserve to die? Yes! Does that mean killing them will prevent future crimes? Hell no!

tee-ha-ha · August 28th, 2008, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarzy

I wouldn't take that figure too seriously. These polls only ask a certain amount of people so I'm not sure they give a true representation.

That's what the margin of error is for.

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Conservatives by a large margin - 59 to 35 per cent - want to see the death penalty restored. Labour supporters are almost evenly divided with 46 per cent in favour and 47 per cent opposed.

Among Liberal Democrats, the balance is tipped the other way, with only 35 per cent in favour and 60 per cent opposed.

The last big opinion survey on the subject was conducted in the wake of the Soham murders three years ago and showed 56 per cent support for the death penalty for child killers.

Less than 50pc back death penalty - Telegraph

This article cites slightly less than 50% support for the death penalty in the UK, but it still indicates that there is substantial support for it. This article was published in 2006.

Quazar · August 28th, 2008, 11:05 AM

While no doubt that this idiot is guilty, I can't support the death penalty as long as there is a chance that an innocent person can be put to death. There are countless stories of people convicted of crimes who were later proven to be innocent and who knows how many other innocent people are sitting in prison who haven't yet been proven not guilty?

You can't take the death penalty back. Once it's given, that's it.