For or Against

So, in my English class we're going to be reading the book A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines (if anyone has read it, is it a good book?) and because of it we're going to be debating the death penalty.

So I was curious to see how many people are For it and how many are Against it?

Personally I'm pretty Against the Death Penalty. And I think that most of the ways they do it are really cruel.

I'm for the death penalty. I don't see why people who kill in such malicious ways should be treated humanely for their actions. I firmly believe that if, for example, you rape, torture and stangle someone to death than hanging, electric chair, guilotene, letal injection gas, firing squad etc are letting you off lightly

Personally I'd go with public crucifixion. They should die slow painful deaths to pay for what they have done. And it should be public because it will act as a deterrent.

I will add that I would only use executions in cases where there is 100% proof, like five witnesses or reliable recorded/photographical evidence.

And for all those that say it costs more to execute someone than keep them in jail for life.. that's rubbish. Executions in China cost 17 pence.

Whatever happened to "Two wrongs don't make a right"? If you give a murderer the death penalty you're ending their life, when you could lock them up in jail and make them suffer for what they did. If you execute them they won't have to live with all the guilt that they could get. And then some of the time when they go to kill the people it doesn't work! I've read things about people who were getting lethal injections and the tubes knotted or they used the wrong chemicals or things like that. It's sick.

It's sad that some of the people who do actually get the death penalty are actually innocent.

I am for it all the way. I am tired of hearing how barbaric it is and all that bullsh%t. Do unto others as you would have done unto you.

I am for it for those who are 100 percent guilty of inhumane crimes.. murderers, sex offenders, child abusers..
I believe prison is no punishment these days, I know too many people that have been in prison, come out and reoffend just because prison is the easier option and they want to go back.. How is that punishment?
Unless they locked them up 24/7, made to sleep on a concrete floor, were never allowed out of their cell with only bread and water to live on I will stick to being FOR the death penalty.. harsh? maybe but I don't think these people deserve to live a life of luxury in these hotels we call prisons.

I believe we are all punished ultimately for our sins, but I do believe in an eye for an eye etc etc. I think I might take a back seat here because as much as I would like to say "violence breeds violence" or "who are we to take the life of another person" if it was a family member of mine who was a victim I would want the bastard killed...kind of hypocritical hey?
*sits in back seat*

man if murderers were smart enough not to get caught there would even be a problem

damn stupid criminals

against

I am completely for the death penalty.

With greatest pleasure, I say Bret couldn't have said it better. Jailing a criminal does nothing but make them more eager with malicious thoughts, and once they leave, they are at it again. If a real horrific crime is commited, and the person is one hundred percent guilty, then the death penalty is well deserved. This is why our law and systems are messed up, and why so many crimes are going unsolved, and uncontrollable, because the criminals come out of a fifteen year break in jail, and they just add to the chaos.

Innocent people get the death penalty! There is no way of knowing 100 % that a person being sentenced to death committed the crime, unless there is physical evidence obtained that couldn't in anyway be tampered with. The death penalty is sexist and racist. 1 in every 3 people who is sentenced to death are African American.

And besides the U.S. is one of the few countries that still have it. Over 124 countries have actually abolished the death penalty, and I think we should do the same.

bump

I'm not sure... I have heard that a large percent of people convicted with the death penalty (in some countries) are later discovered to be innocent...
I think that it all depends entirely on the situation, and there should be many judges and juries and investigators to thoroughly review the situation before they reach such a harsh judgement.
If thrown in a prison with terrible conditions, it could be worse than death. Perhaps that is just me... so consider me neutral.

//T.L.//

You're right they don't. But killing a murderer doesn't bring back the person they killed. It just kills another human being. It's uncivilized, and I thought this country was supposed to be full of civilized people.

I am against it ,I think too many mistakes can be made by our justice system and that one can never be corrected,I believe what the Bible said that if we have to err then err on the side of mercy.

defefinatly against it!
(1)SPIRITUALLY
we all read the bible i hope,but eveb if we dont,it states that it shouldnt be "an eye for an eye".if ur enemy slaps u,offer him da other cheek.it all boils down to this.forgive your perpetrator.
(2)PERSONAL LEVEL
wat if the law wanted to pass out the death penalty to someone YOU loved?your father,mother,brother?someone u really loved.would you stil feel strongly bout killing them?

I'm against it because if people are killed they don't have to live with the crime they've committed--- but I'm not strictly against it; There are good agruments for supporting it too---

I believe Saddam Hussian is against it these days

Ha ! Ha! I have to agree with that one. I hope they show the bastard swinging on T.V., accompanied by Led Zeppelin`s "Gallows Pole". And to answer Judah, on a personal note, if any of my relatives molested a child or cold blooded killed someone, then they get what they deserve.

I am against it, don't know why, I just feel that its wrong...

I support, but don't feel really discussing it.

Im for the Death Penalty, in South Africa they kill ppl like flies just for their clothes or jewelry (sp?) they should be made an exaple with!

i'm for the death penalty.
people who murder other people deserve the same, kind of like Hammurabi's code except not as bad.

bump

We found out yesterday which side won the debate.

The For side ended up winning, and that was mainly because my side chose a sucky team captain. Every single thing he said... made no sense or just helped the other team (lol).