Your opinions on life and death

[Lasher]

I'm just curious here to see how people's views on the subjects of abortion and capital punishment correlate. It's just a little something that's been rolling around in the back of my mind and I thought this would be a good time to ask.

So... Basically I'm just asking you to pick which of the 4 statements above most closely reflects your views on the 2 subjects. It seems in most cases people hold to absolutist views in these areas and I'm not really interested in shades of gray. If you'd like to share thoughts on why you selected what you did that would be great. It would be even better if the subjects could be discussed without the use of mindless slogans and other shortcuts to thinking the orthodox of both the right and left choose to use, but I think I know better than to believe that is possible.

Personally, I find myself being in the pro-choice camp in regards to the subject of abortion, although I feel it's really not any of my damn business and even less so the government's.

In regards to capital punishment, in general I'm in favor of its use although I do have some queasiness in how it's actually applied. But that would take us into the gray that I'm not particulary interested in exploring at this time.

I do see symmetry in my views. Anyone else?

 

[Lasher]

LOL... It's ok to post comments, really.

 

[sexy-girl]

i believe in pro choice but im against death penalty because i don't believe we have the right to take a human life (was that nearly a slogan )

putting them together like that does make me sound slightly hypocritical ... its an interesting concept for a thread

 

[70/30]

I'm pretty much against capital punishment---I think the death penalty cases that are pursued are very limited in range. Representation in all capital eligible cases should be much more thorough than it currently is. I'd like to see DNA tests, when available, done on cases that have been previously decided.

I'm pro-choice, I don't readily approve of abortion---however I am not a woman. I do feel condoms and birth control pills should be widely accessible to all. Until they are and until a politician acknowledges that wealthy women will go to Canada or Europe to get an abortion---while poor women will be stuck---that'll be my answer.

 

[Captain Howdy]

well i think its a couples choice (or womans in certian cases).

An as for capital punishment, lets clean out those over crowded prisons shal we. Why should i pay for someone on death row to get a education an live. Its hard enough trying to survive with out paying for these killers to live. Let the punishment fit the crime. if they killed someone they should die the same way, or more painfuly. Screw that leathal injection shit.

 

[I'mVan]

Hmmm, how suggestive the way you juxtapose those ideas.

I'm pro choice, the decision to keep a child will effect at least one of the parents significantly, and the child in an immense way. Over population and lack of time and attention for adults in the making are major issues in our world today. I say don't force people to add to them.

I'm predominantly anti death penalty, because mistakes have been made. It's small recompense to a man to get out of a life sentence after 15 years if they find he's not guilty, but it's got to be better than being dead. Though, if there were a way to know beyond a shadow of a doubt (more than just reasonable doubt, absolute certainty,) I'd be pro capital punishment, it's cheap and effective compared to the alternatives.

 

[Lasher]

Hmmm, how suggestive the way you juxtapose those ideas.

Suggestive Juxtaposition is my middle name. I hate my mother to this very day for it.

 

[Dantetier]

I'm in faovr of the death penalty if they expand it. Everyone says "it's a Deterrent"< "it's not a deterrent"... Right now, it is not a detterent because it's not used enough. it's very rare for people to be sentenced to death, and even after that, it takes 20 or more years to carry the sentance out.

If people who are convicted of murder (premeditated, with DNA evidence) they should be killed as soon as possible. THAT would be a detterent.

As for Abortion. I don't think it should be a form of birth control. Victims of rape, incest, or people who would give birth to children with defects I wouldn't have a problem with. OR people who truly used contraception and pregnancy STILL happened, that would be okay. But people who just have abortions because they are stupid and didn't take precautions, they can have one abortion, but they also are made sterile so they cannot do it again


I know, Drastic, but it would work

 

[Lasher]

I'm in faovr of the death

Ok, not trying to be rude here, but you're really stupid and just shouldn't say anything. You hurt every cause that you post in favor of.

The opinions of others are still welcome.

 

[Dantetier]

Ok, not trying to be rude here, but you're really stupid and just shouldn't say anything. You hurt every cause that you post in favor of.

The opinions of others are still welcome.

Well, when I care about your opinion, I'll let you know

 

[Lasher]

Well, when I care about your opinion, I'll let you know

Don't particularly give a flying fuck if you care, just trying to help a brother out.

Besides, everyone thinks you're stupid. They told me.

 

[Dantetier]

well, you obviously have a problem with me, for whatever reason. But I don't care, so have fun with it

 

[Lasher]

well, you obviously have a problem with me, for whatever reason. But I don't care, so have fun with it

LOL, no problem, dude. You're just an easy target cause you're really simple, lol. That's all.

Ok, I am actually still interested in other's opinions. The sidetrack was unintentional, lol, but sometimes...

 

[sunstruck]

Ok I am trying to figure out a way to state my opinion on both subjects with explanation without getting into any grey areas. That's really fucking difficult Lasher.

Ok I am pro choice because while I couldn't do it, I believe no one has the right to make you do anything with your body you don't want to. There's no grey there.

As to the death penalty...I think I'm for it for financial reasons. Yes, you can put a price on human life when that life has commited a crime horrific enough to warrent a death sentence. Prisons are over crowded and criminals are often released too soon to make room for new scum. There are rehabilitable (it could be a word) criminals that money and space could be going to help.

However, (is this grey, it's not to me) I think the evidence in such cases should be irrefutable. DNA, multiple eyewitnesses, confessions, that kind of thing.

Lastly, while I do favor it I still believe that it is something people will look back on 100 years from now, maybe less as barbaric and disgusting.

Did I do it? lol

 

[Lasher]

Did I do it? lol

Yep, lol, nice post too.

Merriam Webster didn't recognize rehabilitatible, lol, but it should be a word.

Staying out of the gray areas does make this kinda tricky - I know I for one am not an absolutist on these or most other issues - but my only goal in limiting choices was to keep this as simple as possible.

People are more than welcome to post what they feel the gray areas are and how they apply to their opinions.

 

[Azwed]

Ok if I hear one more person say they are in favor of the Death Penalty for money reasons or to reduce overcrowded prisons I am going to scream.

The death penalty is more expensive then life in prison. Much, much, much more expensive and you can't reduce the amount of appeals a person gets because that dramaticly increases the chance of a person being put to death.

The best way to reduce prison overcrowding is to reduce the sentaces for people who are sent to prison for non-violent drug offences. That forms a very large portion of the prison population. Death penalty inmates are not part of the general population, hence the idea of death row, and there are really not enough of them to make much of a difference in prison population.

Number of death row inmates.
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/DRowInfo.html

I am pro-choice because it is none of my business and against the death penalty on practical grounds. I do think that there are crimes that should be punished with death but because we cannot be 100% certain if a person is really guilty and there is no way to give someone their life back.

 

[sunstruck]

Yo Awzed. Don't scream. Money isn't allotted that way. I don't think anyone should be allowed to be a drain on society after committing a horrible crime against it for the rest of their natural lives.

It's not really about HOW MUCH money there is as how it is spent.

 

[lavender]

Lasher,

I think I see where you are going with this but I might be wrong. I am pro-choice and anti-capital punishment.

I have often wondered how people could be pro-life and pro-capital punishment. On the one hand, they say that a mother should not have a choice to terminate a life. But, on the other hand they say that we, as humans and as a governmental system, have the right to determine (by a jury of our peers) when a person should receive the death penalty as punishment for the crime. I have found these views to be inherently contradictory. I know that the response of those who are pro-life and pro-capital punishment rests upon the fact that a fetus/baby is an innocent, whereas a criminal is not. They typically argue that a criminal has forfeited his right to life. While I agree that under a Social Contract a criminal forfeits some of his rights when he refuses to comply with the laws of the state, I do not believe that one can forfeit their right to life. A person can forfeit basic liberties but not life. The reason I believe one cannot forfeit life is inherent in our legal system. For example, suicide is illegal, the right to die is not categorical by any means. This represents the fact that one cannot choose to die - they cannot forfeit their rights to die.

Now, I can totally understand and find consistent one who says that they are both pro-life and anti-capital punishment. For they are saying a life, is a life, is a life and we dont' have the right as humans to infringe upon that life.

My position could be seen as contradictory by many. I am pro-choice and anti-capital punishment. Those who disagree with me would say - ah, so you'll let innocent babies die but adults who knew what they were doing and committed atrocities should be allowed to live. But, there is a fundamental philosophical distinction, in my mind, that makes my position consistent and not conradictroy. I do not believe that an unborn child - a fetus - is a life until the time of viability. Therefore, abortion does not terminate a life, whereas capital punishment does.

My main problems with capital punishment are its arbitrary nature, the discriminatory practices involved, and the possibility of error.

 

[Lasher]

Lasher,

I think I see where you are going with this but I might be wrong.

Nope, you're probably right. Nothing tricky up my sleeves here, believe me.

 

[Lasher]

lol, threads die quickly.

 

[Gil_Favor]

if a woman wants to have her baby chopped up in the womb, and then sucked into a bottle,more power to her. its her choice. if some moron wants to drive around in a beat up chevy and shoot people at random, he should be put to death. seems clear to me.