From: maedhros@yabbs
To: laelth@yabbs
Subject: re: John Gacy R.I.P.
Date: Wed May 25 12:06:24 1994

In message re: John Gacy R.I.P., arachnoi said:
> [835][laelth]  
> ----  
> Does it bother anyone else on this board that we are the ONLY
> nation in the industrialized world that regularly executes its
> criminals?  We do so while also having the highest rate of
> violent crime of any industrialized nation - so much for
> deterrence.  

It bothers me immensely.  What the hell's wrong with the other countries? :)
I'm not sure I agree with your line of thinking here.  You seem to think
that since we have suck an astronomically high crime rate, the death
penalty is innefectual.  Who said the death penalty was instituted as a
deterrent.  I, personally, couldn't give a flying fuck less is it deters
any would be criminals or not.  The desath penalty is reserved for people
who, with malice aforethought, ended another individual's life.  Reform? 
Deterrence?  Fuck that!  Revenge!

I seriously doubt if someone shot one of your loved ones in cold blood for
profit or the sheer fun of it, you'd be worried about the death penalty's
relative effectiveness as a deterrent.  We're not talking about social
control or reform-we're talking about justice.  If you don't agree with
this, I'd be forced to assume (granted that this is just an assumption)
that noone in your family has been murdered and you are incapable of
pacing yourself in their shoes.  I know sure as hell, that if it happenned
to me, I'd demand blood debt.  If you didn't fry him, you'd sure as hell
have to lock me up when he came out on parol, because I'd kill him myself.

Sorry about the flagrant appeal to emotion.  I know it's a falacious
backbone for an argument, but it's difficult to stay objective on this
topic.  It is, after all, inherently based on emotions and perspective .

Maedhros /\
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