Our next speech in Speech class is a debate. We were given teams, subjects, and point of views on which we have to argue for. Our team has to debate the affirmative side of Capital Punishment. I am starting this thread in hopes to get an idea of what many different people believe, and hopefully it can help me and my team make a stronger speech by learning what other peope believe. So please, express your opinions on the subject.. I will not interfer as I was told to keep my personal opinion out of the speech. :)

remind me Capital Punishment.. is that liek the jails?? lol

Capital Punishment = Executions.

I for one am against capital punishment but seeing your on the affirmative.. i guess ill try to see it from the other point of view lol

I guess if somebody has done something to deserve excecution eg murder, rape etc then they should be excecuted... Im not too sure wat my views really are but i will get back to u! lol

You don't have to post on the affirmative side if you are not for it. I am just interested in hearing both sides of the argument. People who are not for it please tell why, ect. Knowing what people think will give us a stronger argument to go on.

Well personally I think Capital Punishment is inhumane. Especially in that guys case ( i dont know his name) sure he was guilty of having drugs but wat was hanging him going to prove? I think in some cases Capital Punishment is right.. only if they have killed many people (eg the Bali Bombers should be excecuted).. In othercases for minor offences such as drug related things shouldnt result in excecution.

Thats not relaly much Nichole but its a start I guess. Good Luck with it

We had this discussion several months ago, so I'll just post what I posted there:

I'm opposed to the death penalty. As a Christian, I don't believe we have any right to take someone's life, even if they are murderers. They will recieve their punishment, though it may not be in this life.

Yes, if you want to go back to the Old Testament, God used the death penalty. But I think you'll agree that the American justice system is neither omniscient or omnipotent - they are not God. They're human, and sometimes, they make mistakes.

Personally, I choose to trust that God will punish wrongdoers and the death penalty is humans trying to play God.


http://s10.invisionfree.com/Rabbits/index....opic=1251&st=15

***Note***
May be disturbing to some readers but details are needed to be stated to make the point.

I’m going to base my thoughts on a personal experience and tell it as I see and feel it and sorry it’s so long!

Three years ago, my eight year old cousin was on his way home to ask his mother, who was cooking supper, if he could go swimming at his friend’s house. He stopped at the stop sign near their apartment and proceeded into the intersection on his bicycle. As he was in the intersection he saw a car speeding down the road which ended up going about 40 mph in a 25 mph zone. My cousin saw that he was in trouble and quickly corrected himself and turned right. He was along the curb riding his bicycle when he was hit by the vehicle. He was thrown up onto the car rolling over the windshield, on top of the car and back down. The driver didn’t ‘notice’ that he hit my cousin and proceeded to drive. The neighbors outside had to scream and yell at the driver in order for him to realize that he just hit something. He proceeded to ask them what he hit which proved that he wasn’t paying attention. Sorry, but it’s quite ‘hard’ to not see something rolling over your windshield and down the car! My cousin was transported by CareFlight to the nearest hospital where we knew he wasn’t going to live. As soon as he arrived he was put on live support where he laid while my aunt talked his father into organ donation. Otherwise he would have been dead on arrival. The driver was never charged with anything concerning the accident. Which if my cousin had time to correct himself, the driver would have time to correct the accident as well if paying attention. This driver was also operating the vehicle on an expired license and no auto insurance. The driver was allowed to go ‘home’ where they did the police report there. The driver was allowed to operate his vehicle still enough though my cousin’s bicycle was taken in for evidence. It wasn’t till my aunt begged that the police took the vehicle in for evidence. Even then it had been washed and possibly cleaned out after the accident leaving not an ounce of evidence.

Now I will honestly come out and say that this accident started as my cousin’s fault as he failed to yield. However, since he had time to correct the situation then any driver paying attention would have had time too. In reality this driver should have been charged with vehicular homicide but wasn’t charged for a thing! With that said……

Now let’s view what my family has ‘felt’ and delt with since then. My cousin (the half brother) went into a depression over the whole deal however he won’t admit it. My cousin’s name can’t even be mentioned without him trying to change the subject. My aunt has cried herself to sleep for months on end and had evil dreams from the accident. I’ve still got poems she wrote about her feelings after the accident.

The whole family has to live with the fact that the ‘driver aka killer’ is still out there enjoying live. If the driver has any sense of human in him then he thinks about the fact that he killed a child but I doubt it. The driver is out there and is able to marry and have children if he so desired. His family continues to get to ‘know’ him but whether that’s a good thing is another story.

However, my cousin never made it to the second grade. Therefore, he didn’t get the option to graduate from high school, get married and have children. He didn’t even have the option of ‘growing up’ even though he was more mature then most adults. This child’s father suffers from MS and was unable to do daily chores. However, my cousin stood up and took over these daily chores without complaints, or even being asked. He had been doing this for majority of his life which is VERY mature considering he died at eight years young. My cousin was a true angel from above. He talked highly of all of his friends including one little boy named Jacob. He was good friends with Jacob in school for a long time and talked about their friendship often and bragged about how Jacob was the smartest kid in the class. My aunt did not realize this wonderful friend that my cousin always talked about was on crutches because he had bone cancer and he had a hearing aid that helped him focus his attention on the person who was talking to him so instead of hearing everything, he heard what he was supposed to, he had glasses and due to his autism some behavioral problems. Sometimes the teacher and an aid would literally have to hold Jacob down while he was throwing frustration fits. My cousin never spoke of that. He saw through all that and saw a neat little person with incredible skills and they would imagine and play together. If thats not mature then I don't know what is!

My point of going through and giving you all this information is to prove a point. You can tell through the words the ache and sorrow still felt three years later after the accident which feels like happened yesterday.

With that said…..
Murders that are given ‘life’ in prison are actually living in luxury. They don’t have to wonder how they will make ‘ends meet’ and provide a roof over ‘their’ head. They have heat and air conditioning provided by being in prison and allowed to eat. They have a ‘day room’ where they can watch Cable TV and exercise in the gym. They can sit in their cells to read and write to family. Yes, they have time ‘spare’ to think about why they are in jail. But their ‘life’ is handed them so to say. Who hands this ‘life’ to them? The tax payers! We are paying for murders to sit in jail and take our money away from us while some are trying to make ends meet. These murders are sitting in jail and living better then many of our own citizens! It’s “okay” for us to do this….. I don’t think so! They are getting the life on a silver platter!

Execution is also the ‘easy’ way out. The electric chair isn’t used anymore so the execution is painless. All it is an injection and its all done. Heck, I got a flu shot today and was a pain for a second and that was it! Those that are executed know what the end result will be and feel the ‘fear’. But they aren’t going through the same ‘fear’ that their victims feel in their last moments of life. The victims don’t have time to think about what’s about to happen to them as it happens so quick. Many victims suffer before actual death occurs.

I personally don’t think that injection execution is ‘fair’ enough to the victim’s family. I feel the murder should have that fear and die the same way their victim did. They shouldn’t be ‘given’ a date when ‘their’ murder should happen and just ‘pop’ it on them as the victim received. However, before ‘their’ murder happens the murderer should have to live in the life of the victim family’s life for a while. They should feel the pain and agony the family will feel for the rest of their life. My cousin turned twelve a few days ago... What would he have been like today? What would he look like? How would he act? Would he be an honor student? I know he would have been excited to know his big brother’s wife. I would LOVE to get one last note from my cousin. One last talk over the phone. One last chance to tell him how much I loved and admired him. The family’s pain just doesn’t leave with the ‘ease’ of a shot. Therefore why should the killer get out of life that easily? They shouldn’t!

However, because the murderers can’t be trusted again, therefore we can’t make them ‘suffer’ this way. They aren’t really “rotting in jail” either! Being in jail is “The Life” compared to our homeless citizens who can’t find jobs and can’t afford a home. Living with the fact that a person that killed your loved one is still out walking the roads and has the option of enjoying life is NO walk in the park! Now, I have God in my life and so did my cousin and his family. But having the love for God still doesn’t ease the pain! I actually was quite upset with God at the time of the accident. All bad things happen for a good reason. I’m sitting here still trying to figure out the GOOD in this experience.

The only good I can even come up with is getting to know an angel for short eight years. But I didn’t even get to know him for that long. Being an Army brat, when he was born I was living in Virginia and he was in Indiana. It wasn’t till 5 years after he was born that I moved to Ohio. We were then two hours from him and with each of our own lives holidays were they only time we saw him. Even then it wasn’t guaranteed that I would see him because he had two ‘separate’ lives, one with his mother and another with his father. This angel touched the lives of everyone he met. He looked at people as for who they were inside and not from what’s on the outside. He looked past ALL the bad and looked for the good. There are people who are in their 60’s with their own children and grandchildren that haven’t gotten this concept of life down pat yet. Yet an eight year old had to mastered in his short life. If thats not mature, I don't know what is!

Another good thing that happened through this angel was a relationship that’s formed. The relationship wouldn't have been brought about if it wasn’t for the passion of rabbits. Having finally met in person was like talking to someone I've known for YEARS! There was not a moment of silence or an 'odd' moment. This person is well aware of who they are and I’m sure by now is in tears. That's if they were lucky enough to even make it this far. So I'll leave all that gushy stuff for later. ;)

So in conclusion...Whats my thought on executions? Should we have them?
Yes but not as we currently know it.

:upset:

Poor Aaron and Karen and Derek and everyone :( And Jacob. How two little boys that I knew and loved and babysat ended up knowing each other and going to heaven within weeks of each other - just befuddles me. Thank God they had each other for strength.

I think that there is a very important line where Capital Punishment is concerned.

I think that if it is a DEFINITE planned murder then yes, they should die.

If it is manslaughter (unintentional) or any question as to guilt then they should serve HARD time for life. None of this 3 squares, tv, computers, education pants.

Make them bust rocks and give them only the basics of food.

DA....:hug: I'm so sorry about Aaron.

That makes me sick that the prisoners get all those luxuries in jail. I can understand giving it to someone that's just kicked a dog or something, and isn't going to be there long...but murderers? Someone who has intentionally cause so much pain to so many people and killed someone...and planned for it? That's absolutely sick.

I also agree that an injection is "way too nice". How is it that the victim and their family and friends have to suffer so much and the victims have to die in such a horrible, painful way....and the murderers get off like your beloved old cat getting put to sleep? How is that possibly fair?!

I think they should rot away in a jail cell for the rest of their lives (WITHOUT cable TV <_<) And I just WISH we could make them suffer through the same thing their victims had to, and their victims families as well.

Call me cruel, but thats the way I've always felt. :dunno:

Forgive me for being equally blunt, but maximum security prison is anything but "fun", and it's rather naive to think that inmates are actually having a good time in jail.

Talking to someone who's spent a few years in prison, even a minimum security one. It is possibly the most dehumanizing and degrading thing that our judicial system does to criminals. I am not anti-jail (though I am pro-prison reform).

But to say that they're kicking it back and enjoying life simply isn't true.

:hug:



I agree.... like the 'driver' of the car the struck my cousin wasn't intentional. Therefore, he shouldn't be executed so to say. He's got to live with the fact that his vehicle and irresponsible thoughtfullness caused the death of a young child and pain to a family. My intention was to 'show' from a "murder like" victim's family how they are 'coping' with it and dealing with life. ;)

On the other hand... David Rader shouldn't be wasting our tax money by sitting behind bars. He's one SICK man and taking up our jail space and money. He should be 'taken' out the way he 'took out' his victims. He talks of his victims has if they were 'men' standing in a line waiting to be killed with no family surrounding them. He needs to be shot and die a slow painful death in my opinion.

The only reason I know for a fact the way 'jails' are like is because my aunt works at the local county jail. Within the last eight years our county jail has made it's immates pay a 'fee' so to say to reside in their facility. And thats 'her' job, to talk talk to the immates and figure out how they are going to pay.

It's too bad we can't have these murder's walking the street to live life in the eyes of their victim's family. Even rotting in jail without TV is luxary in the eyes of the family.

Amanda :hug:

Your experience was undoubtably awful and painful, and your opinion is valid. I hope that my stance on capital punishment does not come off as being insensitive to victims' families.

It wasn't my intention to say that 'inmates' have fun in jail. My point was to say that 'inmates' live in 'luxary' compared to our homeless citizens.

If the inmate is in jail for murder and has the option of getting out of jail.. thats luxary! Even though their time 'in jail' isn't a "walk in the park" its the fact that they one day can get our of jail and walk around and enjoy life. They may not enjoy it the same way they walked in as but they are there. They have the option of still loving their family and communicating with their family members. That is luxary in the victim's family's eyes since they can't communicate with their family member any longer.

I have a cousin right now thats in jail for 5 years. He wasn't charged with murder but he can still communicate with the outside world. He can still communicate to his family. If your in jail, your there for punishment. Still getting to 'see' and communicate with your family isn't my idea of punishment. In this case its rape so he's got to deal with the 'inmates' hating his guts and 'their' punishment but still!

Your opinion is vaild as well. As a matter of fact EVERYONE's opinion is vaild. Thats the lovely part of debate. Everyone brings out 'their' view and its vaild. It's unforutuate but in the same respect "great" that I can bring in a "view from the 'other' side" in this discussion.

I hope this can and will help with your speech, Nichole. :D

From speaking to someone about their relative in jail, I'd say some of the jails are absolutely appaulling...
I believe in capital punishment on one hand (murderers) but I feel it can be abused. Unless a verdict is concrete, I think it's not going to help. I'd imagine it wouldn't matter if the death penalty was in force to people who murder, they'd still kill. Afterall, we still have murders in states with death penalty laws, don't we? :dunno:
We don't have capital punishment over here, so I suppose I don't see the other side of it. :???:

No, whether we have the death pentality or not we will still have murders.

I'm against the death pentality. It's the EASY way out over what the victim's family has to deal with for the remainder of their life. I also don't think they should get the option of 'sitting' in jail. That's 'too easy' as well compared to what the victim's family has to deal with. The family has to deal with being 'the talk' for months after the murder. They never get a period to grieve like a family who's relative died of natural causes.

But reality hits, and we aren't going to have all murders running the streets and having to 'deal' with that the family is going through. Although there are murders still out there running free. So if they were to get 'punished' they should have to live a HARD life! Bread and Milk for all meals, a hard cement bed to sleep on with no pillow. No blankets to keep them warm, no heat, no a/c, fans, and no source of entertainment.

Oh I didn't mean to sound like prison was great, but it shouldn't even be as easy as it is. I've known many people who worked in prisons as guards, etc. They said that the criminals actually had a better control on some things from INSIDE than if they were outside having to watch their backs.

It's bad but it could be worse and nothing is bad enough for anyone who kills another person intentionally for no reason.

Amanda, i am so sorry about your cousin.. I cried reading your recount of the accident. I believe in capital punishment in some situations.

I know a person in jail for a crime he did not commit.. this is really disturbing but i got a letter from him not too long ago. He said that each day you are scared for your life becasue of Gay rapings.. bashings etc.. they have one blanket.. no tv etc he is living in dread every day for something he did not do.

I will share my view on capital punishment later. I am for it, but again I'll go into detail tomorrow and try to bring up some good points.

I once asked my friend who had a friend who was killed intentionally (but unplanned), that if she could see the killer and do anything she wanted with him, what would she do? I expected her to say she would make him feel extreme pain and have him be tortured, etc. But instead she said this: "I would have him watch every single home movie with her in it. Look at every single school project she did. And he would have to view them over and over again until he couldn't be more miserable."

I thought it was very powerful.

I guess I dont really have a set opinion.

On the one hand...I believe that anyone that intentionally murders a child whether it was planned or "spur of the moment" should be put to death. (Provided there's absolute proof)

On the other hand...I would be hesitant to put anyone to death for anything even with absolute proof. I am reminded that even with all the high tech tests it's still a human administering the test. "To err is human."

I'm sure I wasnt much help. :unsure:

i'm all for it..

because with all the murderers that get put to death there will be a lot less than there are now. but then the number will keep on growing.. but yeah