[thechat] [ugh]

[rudy]

>> I think such punishment [death] is the source
>> of discouragement for the others with evil minds.
>
> Yeah, that obviously works.

indeed

> No offence, but are you serious or
> you are trying to make some sort of fun?

i think john was serious, but about something other than rape

> I think it is safe to assume that rape is not funny.
> and that punishing rapists is not funny.

agreed

> The death penalty has nothing to do with a deterrent effect
> (there isn't one)

strongly disagree

the death penalty is **absolutely fabulous** as a deterrent -- not for
others, but for the person it is applied to

if you execute a person convicted of [insert crime of choice], you can be
darned sure he or she will never commit [insert crime of choice] again

so as a deterrent, it is 100% effective

so, if we are to talk about deterrence, can we separate the conversation
into
 1) deterring the original perpetrator
 2) deterring others

talking about the death penalty always makes many people upset -- you'd be
surprised how many people are either for or against the death penalty
<em>independent of the crime for which it is applied</em> which i have
never, ever been able to understand

so instead of talking about the death penalty for rape, let's make it
castration, okay?

the death penalty is obviously way too harsh for minor crimes -- not that
rape is a minor crime (was it not, at one point in time somewhere, a capital
offence to steal salt?), but in order to avoid getting embroiled in where to
draw that line, let's leave the death penalty out of it, okay?

i mean, do a search on Donald Marshall, David Milgaard, Guy-Paul Morin and
Stephen Truscott


rudy