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... Characterizing capital punishment as "barbaric. ... Singling out capital punishment ignores many equally nasty practises, such as imprisoning people against their will, which society uses to control criminals and attempt to discourage crime. ... A defence of capital punishment based solely on democratic sanction. ... No opponent of capital punishment I know of has ever used violence to prevent a death sentence. The entire movement for the abolition of capital punishment has worked by working to make their case to the voters. They have succeeded in many countries precisely because they have a strong case; and the voters have elected legislators who then legally abolished capital punishment. ... Claiming capital punishment makes us "as bad as the murderer".
It doesnt surprise me that this argument offends proponents of capital punishment. Executing a person convicted under a capital statute existing at the time they committed the offence may amount to bad policy, or a mistake; but if does not make the state or the people "as bad" as the murderer. ...
This claim assumes that capital punishment provides some material good for victims; something the record does not establish. The assumption that abstract justice somehow serves the interests of victims has even worse problems, since some victims have actively spoken out against capital punishment. Indeed, this argument offends, because it effectively highjacks the voice of the victims to serve the agenda of those who want capital punishment restored. ...
The emotional attitude of opponents (or proponents) have little to do with the questions which determine whether or not capital punishment qualifies as a wise or just policy. If capital punishment saved innocent lives, then we would have an obligation to execute murderers whatever we felt about them; if capital punishment cost innocent lives, we would have an obligation to refrain from it regardless of our feelings.
Approximate Word count = 1334
Approximate Pages = 5.3
(250 words per page double spaced)
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