[thechat] Death penalty (was: Mumbai bomb blasts)

[Madhu Menon]

At 11:00 AM 03-09-03, Tara Cleveland wrote:
>That's part of the reason I didn't say anything when Madhu said what he said
>that started this whole conversation - because I believe that those emotions
>and desires should be expressed

Geez, I think I missed a few mails early in the thread, so I just skipped 
this whole discussion.

I'm generally a libertarian. I remember Rudy saying something like this: 
"Does the death penalty deter crime? It deters *that* particular criminal 
from committing a similar crime again."
(I'm paraphrasing a lot. What exactly did you say, Rude?)

A person who plants a bomb that kills more than 50 innocent people and 
injures a couple of hundred more (all of these people unknown to the 
criminal) is not committing a "crime of passion" or acting in "the heat of 
the moment" or even taking revenge of the "you killed my brother; now I 
kill you" kind. They're not mentally retarded either.

I have no compassion for such people. I don't expect their "rehabilitation" 
in prison. (Should Osama be jailed or done away with?)


>and who am I to say "shut up" to someone who
>is feeling shock, grief and anger? It's not the right time to bring up a
>discussion about the death penalty.

Indeed. Besides, there is no "correct" answer to it. It depends on how you 
view the world, its people, and the rights of these people. Hence, I don't 
*usually* debate the issue.

Um, this ain't going anywhere. I can see both sides of the debate, and I 
even understand the views expressed. But it's not productive debate. It's 
also getting people a bit hot under the collar.

Let's end it, eh? Can we go back to discussing food and drink again? :)

Regards,

Madhu