Would you be for or against the death penalty for the criminal if someone in your family was murdered?... and your thoughts
213816
While if the death was in my family would make me mad, I completely am agaisnt the death penalty. I think it isn't right for the government to say "You killed a man and that's wrong, so we're going to kill you!" \nIt doesn't make sense and is unethical.
90273
I am against the death penalty as it does not make any solution. When we are giving a person death penalty, we are doing the same bad thing that we can't. Nobody has any right to murder other, the final judgement is in hand of God. That we can do maximum against a criminal is to give him/her an imprisonment for several years.
40771
What you're forgetting is that tomorrow it could be you.  If you were accused of a crime, should we not give you any rights, just throw you straight in jail?  If you're just referring to people who have been convicted, which rights do you mean?  They don't have many.  You do have to remember that unless they got the death penalty, they are going to return to society some day.  You don't prepare someone for that by putting them in a hole and telling they they're not a citizen anymore.
3757
The death penalty is not for revenge, its justice. Because those people on death row, took someone else's life, if they were given lifelong imprisonment they would never understand to the full extent of what they had done
660600
You have submitted an interesting question here. I whole heartily agree with you that everyone should be given the same punishment that is befitting the crime without any exceptions as to whoever has committed the crime, whether it be a well known family such as the Kennedy family or the drug dealer down the block. A crime is a crime no matter who commits it because in the long run it's still a crime that should be addressed and punished to the full extent of the law.\nWhy should anyone be given a lighter sentence just because of who they are, murder is murder and should aways be addressed as such and let the punishment fit the crime!
440037
i've done this before too. alright. the death penalty is bad for many reasons.\n\none. the death penalty is cruel and unusual. the death penalty lowers us down to murderer status. we are murdering a person that could very well be kept alive, and that very person could be kept in life imprisonment. sure, they couuld break out, but the chances are so slim, we have to say that it's worth it. we as america keep ourselves to be a very humane country, and when we kill people, we really aren't keeping that title. when people die on the chair, they sometimes have to be electrocuted multiple times before they die. i'm sure the criminals deserve it, but by doing this, we're doing the same. especiall cause the viable alternative, the life sentence, is a lot better and a lot more humane, yet still causes punishment.\n\nsecond, you could say that the death penalty serves as a deterrent, or it serves to make sure that other criminals WONT kill. HOWEVER, studies show that the death penalty actually RAISES the rate of violent crime in states. that's true-- the death penalty DOES increase the rate of murder-- it's a proven fact. \n\nthird, people say that the death penalty is good for the victim's family. however, why make the family suffer time and time again through endless trials? we are only fueling anger by killing people, because they have to be reminded of the murder trial again and again, throughout 20 years of trials.\n\nfourth, the death penalty from a religious standpoint. if you're religious. jesus said not to kill. the "eye for an eye" thing in the old testament was overrules by jesus's teachings. and he said to turn the other cheek, not to kill again. sure, we should say "hey murderer, kill another!" but we should certainly not kill them back.\n\nthanks, and i hope i was helpful.
166440
Of course your question might be phrased a little off, because the death penalty IS legal in some states.\n\nMy personal opinion is it should be legal in all states.  I kind of differ that I do not belief it should be shown or made a big deal out of, glorifying it in the news, etc, though that is normal human nature I guess.\n\nThe reason I believe in the death penalty is there are some people that are so dangerous they will continue to do what they do whether they are in prison or not.  And those that have prison terms have been dealt the fairest justice exacted upon them, and the risk of dying at the hands of another would be reduced by the death penalty I believe.  I also believe the families deserve closure.
243408
Hmmm. Personally, I don't believe in Capital Punishment, if that's what you mean. I don't think it's the government's place to kill people. I believe in justice, not vengeance for our legal system.\nRevenge is a personal matter, not a matter for the state.\nIt is unreasonable to expect the state to kill someone for you. You want him dead, do it yourself. Someone killed your daughter? You want him beaten to death? You do it, and then find a way to get away with it.\n\nFor me, vengeance is carried out by the one wronged, or not at all.\nNow, as for how I would carry out my revenge for some horrible wrong done to me or my loved ones. I don't think it would be prudent for me to go into details, but I probably wouldn't kill the person, but leave them in a bad way, so that they would have a long long time to think about what they had done while they have to have a nurse wipe their @ss, and while she's doing it (something she has done for years for many people) she will think "my god, this is the most horrid job ever." as she holds back vomit. And she would have to smoke a cigarette after work with jittery hands and try so desperately to forget the image of what is left of a human being, but she can't because it's etched into her brain and her dreams of him awaken her at night and in a cold sweat, and she will always remember the remnants of the man in the hospital bed, who no longer looks like a man. And he will always have a pain, somewhere, a different pain in a different place everyday, so that it never dulls and he never gets used to it, and he can never ever forget who he wronged because that pain is always there.\nThat would be my revenge.
578112
At heart, if it is what the people of Texas want, I am for them making that determination & not for people outside the state making that choice for them.\n\nThat aside, there are a number of reasons to oppose the death penalty:\n\n- The vast majority of people on Death Row could not afford to hire an attorney & consequently got poor legal representation that could have saved their lives;\n\n- Homicide rates in states with the death penalty are almost doube that of states that don't have the death penalty;\n\n- In the past 30 years, over 100 Death Row inmates were found to be innocent upon appeal.\n\nIt's just my opinion, but one innocent person being executed for a crime they did not commit is one too many.  I believe the states should do what's best for their own, but on principle I do not support the death penalty where I live.
50575
Seems like it to me. I think the death penalty is bad for our culture. It doesn't do anyone good to support the murder of another. My friend who is pro life and pro death penalty says that people who have taken another life should lose theres. where as children who have not been born have not done anything wrong.
82051
I was molested by my brother when I was 13 and while I would like to say yes, I can't. I've forgiven my brother since then, but my forgiving him doesn't mean that I've suddenly forgot about the entire incident or that I approve of what happened. I think this is not the corse to take. I do think that harsher penalties should be in place though. There was one case that I was watching on Court TV and this guy raped a minor and only got 6 months for it. That's a slap on the wrist. I don't this would be grounds for you to use the word murder though. These child molesters in a sense have murdered their victims, because I and many others will never be the same. I use the word murder because that is exactly what it seems like because they kill your soul and any hope you had for the future.
582228
I think she is morally wrong to have him charged with manslaughter.  Sounds like the family found a way to make a quick fortune.  My ex did something similar.  Disgusting.
672165
Yes serial killers and others should be put to death as fast as possible. I think that if everyone  knew that if they killed someone and were convicited that they would suffer the same faith, death that there would be a whole lot less murder in our society. I think people would think twice before killling someone if they knew they would die.
451141
My opinion hasn't changed.. I still believe they were responsible for 9-11 and they lied to get us into this war, but I don't believe in the death penalty and I don't believe in revenge.. A nice prison cell to protect society from anyone who kills is fine with me, and if it's someone lies to one person or a whole nation, causing them to kill someone, they should get life in prison just like any other murderer.
373160
The problem is our judicial system is very flawed.  There are many innocent people in jail, and guilty ones in the street.  I agree some people are given lighter sentences than what they deserve and others harsher than they deserve.  But our system is what it is, if you don't plan on getting out there and trying to make a change then there is no point in complaining about it.  I am back and forth on the issue of the death penalty,  but to answer your question, yes there should be certain criteria for sending someone to deathrow.   There should be certain regulations.  But every crime is different, and until it happens to you or someone in your family it is hard to say.  and that goes for being the defendant or the victim.  it is hard on both families.
158831
To ponder:\nIF killing is wrong, we should always set the example, even with people who have violated this basic principle.  It will strengthen that rule.  Maybe not today, not tomorrow, but eventually.\n\nUS is the only country at our level of social development that has the death penalty (as oppposed to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, China, Thailand)\n\nOften, executing an unremorseful killer will make him believe he is a mayrter to his misguided actions.\n\nIt costs more to execute a criminal than to keep him in jail for the rest of his life.\n\nThe application of the death penalty in today's justice system is a crap shoot, at best (Sentenced to death rarely correlates to those most deserving of it, and being spared rarely translates into being less culpable)\n\nJust a few things to ponder, why it might be worth it to get rid of the whole messy business!
298244
I would of course forgive them, and then convince them to submit to the authorities and face the consequences of their action. I would support jail, or even death if he murdered someone or committed some other crime worthy of capital punishment. If he were still a minor and the crime were committed against myself I would most likely press charges, though it would be difficult. Letting the guilty go free is a heinous crime in itself. It destroys the criminal and endangers the population. Just because you forgive someone does not exempt them from consequences. I am raising my son to understand that every action has consequences in the hopes that this will prevent him from becoming a criminal.