"DC Sniper" should be dead in about an hour. Good.

[Liann]

I wouldn't want to waste one second thinking about the person who killed her. That would be one second of my energy that person didn't deserve to rob from me.

I wish I could say the same thing, but if someone brutally murdered my mother, my first instinct would be to grab a gun and go after them. If I was strong enough to let the courts deal with it, I don't think anything other than the death penalty would give me closure. Just knowing that that person stilled breathed on this earth would be too much for me. I know I'm going to hell in a hand bag. That's just how I think I would humanly feel if it struck that close to home.

And why the heck can't we rate this thread??? There have been a bunch of threads on Cathe.com lately that you can't rate. Is it a technical glitch? Most of them aren't even controversial.

 

[Jonezie]

Govtgirl...I am never going to be able to change your mind about this. I totally understand that. I can just hear the joy pouring from your posts about the execution. You make it sound like we should pop open a case of champagne and celebrate!

I am not here to debate capital punishment. I completely believe that you are entitled to your opinion as much as I am mine. I'm just horrified...truly...that you have chosen to get on Cathe's fitness forum...a FITNESS forum...and say "DC Sniper should be dead in about an hour. Good." If you had quietly been relieved about what your felt was justice, I would have had a huge amount of respect for you. And been able to see your sincere viewpoint. But that fact that you started a post like that...I am just shocked that there are still people in the world like this. Either you crave the drama, are a major pot-stirrer, or just have a deep hatred for people who you have judged deserve what they got coming to them. Either way, I'm genuinely shocked that you chose this approach and forum.

 

[carres1973]

I propose punishing convicted murderers by leaving them in the heart of the Adirondacks......naked.......in the middle of black fly season. There wouldn't be anything left of them.
Bzzzzz!

Excellent suggestion Beavs! Or how about the character in greek or roman mythology (?) who was tied to the side of a hill allowing birds to peck at him...only to be made whole during the night and the whole ordeal started again. What was that characters name? Google is only giving me Sisyphus who had to roll a boulder up the side...

Carrie

 

[Miss Lee]

I propose punishing convicted murderers by leaving them in the heart of the Adirondacks......naked.......in the middle of black fly season. There wouldn't be anything left of them.
Bzzzzz!

Sounds good to me!

 

[L Sass]

I haven't read this thread all the way through, and I'm not going to. Debate it to the ends of the earth if you wish - because there will never be agreement.

I know this. As someone with a husband who defends the scum of the earth, and who says he's just trying to ensure that the scum have the same constitutional protections that non-scum do (that's a debate in and of itself, I'm sure), when he gets home from watching an execution, I thank the Lord that our children are there to say "It's ok Dad. I'm sorry you had to watch one of your clients die today. Can I give you a hug?"

 

[TeTe]

As someone with a husband who defends the scum of the earth, and who says he's just trying to ensure that the scum have the same constitutional protections that non-scum do (that's a debate in and of itself, I'm sure)"

I certainly hope not. That is one of the great things about this country and it makes us different from a lot of others. Sometimes, and maybe not often, that "scum" just might be innocent, but doesn't have the money to pay for lawyer to to prove it.

 

[hiitdogs]

I like to think that I'm against the death penalty, but, honestly, with people like this guy, I just don't care that much. But, in my heart of hearts, I agree that government sanctioned killing is wrong.

As far as the family and friends of the victims, I guess each one is as unique as we are here. I had two friends and their children brutally murdered, and the guy who did it got the death penalty. I can honestly say that it did not make me feel any better or worse. It doesn't change what happened and it doesn't make me forget what this family went through during the finally hours of their lives. I only wanted him to NEVER be free to do the same thing again. He hasn't been put to death yet, but, I'm sure there are probably appeals being filed, and lawyers scurrying around as we speak.

The money to keep murderers alive in prison doesn't bother me; it keeps them from harming others. On the other had, I'd rather not pay taxes for people who are in jail for stupid crimes like having pot or who are incarcerated for the rest of their lives because of the "three strikes and we throw away the key" laws. But, that's another thread.

ITA TeTe!! But of course you wrote it much more eloquent than I could

I just want to say that just because I think government sanctioned killing is wrong doesn't mean that I condone what this individual did or that I care about him. What I care about is what it says about us as a society.

 

[mspina]

Remember the Amish community that lost all their little ones when the gunmen came into their school and shot them? The first thing they did was forgive that man. The FIRST thing.

Could I do that? I don't know. But I'd like to aspire to such an enlightened way of life.

Why is that enlightened? I really don't understand this at all. Why is it virtuous to *forgive* someone for doing something so horrible? Forgive? Really???????

I totally understand letting it go, so that you can move on with life, not giving away even MORE of your life/energy/happiness to the bastard. But forgiveness? Wow. Nope, just don't get how this is something to aspire to.

 

[Beavs]

Nah, Beavs, that's too good for them too!

Oh, it's apparent you have never experienced black fly season in the Adirondacks

 

[DEEDEE2]

But weren't there several people who have actually been executed or were about to be put to death when it was found that they were in fact innocent?

I believe there have been innocent people put to death and that does indeed sadden me and makes me wonder how that could happen. Especially in this day and age with all the forensic technology we now have. If there is one shadow of a doubt about someone being guility of a crime that would get them capital punishment (or any punishment for that matter) then no, I couldn't support them being put to death. But for all the Dahmers, Bundys and so on...I have no problem with them being put to death.

 

[DEEDEE2]

murders. Maybe if we would start killing the murderers the way they killed their victims (torture and all) there would be less murders?

.

I don't think even that would work. People these days just don't care. I don't know how the world has come to put such little value on human life but we see it every damn day. Someone gets upset over something what do they do? Shoot up the mall, or the work place or the military base.

 

[DEEDEE2]

Why is that enlightened? I really don't understand this at all. Why is it virtuous to *forgive* someone for doing something so horrible? Forgive? Really???????

I totally understand letting it go, so that you can move on with life, not giving away even MORE of your life/energy/happiness to the bastard. But forgiveness? Wow. Nope, just don't get how this is something to aspire to.

About 15 years ago, I saw this story on the news where two KKK men had killed a young black man. The black man's elderly mother was able to speak to these men while they were behind bars and she was able to forgive them. I will never, ever foget the impact that had on me. She was a very spiritial woman and she was able to forgive because holding on the resentment wouldn't do anyone any good. Not her, not the memory of her son and not the men that killed him. Her forgiveness had a profound affect on one of the men (at that time, who knows what happened when he got around his hate filled brothers again). I remember thinking that she is a better person than I will ever be, because quite simply, I would want both men dead.

 

[DEEDEE2]

The cost of housing prisoners doesn't bother me so much as the fact that you can commit the most awful crime and you get food and medical care while there are good people living in poverty with no food, no shelter and no medical.

 

[kEwL]

The cost of housing prisoners doesn't bother me so much as the fact that you can commit the most awful crime and you get food and medical care while there are good people living in poverty with no food, no shelter and no medical.

It's a double crime against society, they murder someone and then the people have to pay millions to defend the court decision and the criminal gets 3 hots and a cot and better health care than many people.

It's just amazing at how our criminal system fails in many ways. In some countries you can step a couple feet into their borders and you get life in prison but do that in America you get rights of the citizens, social security, counted in the census and political power.

 

[hiitdogs]

In some countries you can step a couple feet into their borders and you get life in prison but do that in America you get rights of the citizens, social security, counted in the census and political power.

What country would that be in?

And how would that be right? They illegally enter the country and then they get free room and board at the prison, courtesy of tax payers?

That being said, I don't think any of you have ever been to a prison complex. It's not life at the Hilton (rightfully so - but it is not the easy get served 3 meals a day thing that people make it out to be)

 

[mspina]

About 15 years ago, I saw this story on the news where two KKK men had killed a young black man. The black man's elderly mother was able to speak to these men while they were behind bars and she was able to forgive them. I will never, ever foget the impact that had on me. She was a very spiritial woman and she was able to forgive because holding on the resentment wouldn't do anyone any good. Not her, not the memory of her son and not the men that killed him. Her forgiveness had a profound affect on one of the men (at that time, who knows what happened when he got around his hate filled brothers again). I remember thinking that she is a better person than I will ever be, because quite simply, I would want both men dead.

I totally get the letting it go part, in fact, I absolutely believe that is the right thing to do - otherwise, you are now GIVING away even more of your life to these "people" who have forcefully taken so much away already.

But letting go and forgiving are two VERY VERY different things in my mind.

 

[Lee Jones]

NCCJones...you say it's up to God but the rest of your post doesn't match. It sounds very much like YOU feel entitled to be his judge and jury. And when you say others are "preaching their morals," aren't you doing the very same thing? It's an age-old debate for sure. But I am able to see your viewpoint without feeling like you are "preaching your morals."

Elizabeth,

My statement was that we are judge and jury here on earth, but he still has to face the final Judge. Nothing confusing about that. No...I did not preach to anyone about morals...I just stated an opinion. Preaching is when I tell people that my way is the right way, or I ask people questions about their views, or try to convince them to my way of thought....I don't recall that written anywhere. It was just a stated opinion.

 

[lioness]

Why is that enlightened? I really don't understand this at all. Why is it virtuous to *forgive* someone for doing something so horrible? Forgive? Really???????

I totally understand letting it go, so that you can move on with life, not giving away even MORE of your life/energy/happiness to the bastard. But forgiveness? Wow. Nope, just don't get how this is something to aspire to.

Wow...really? I aspire to forgive. I believe in divine truth and that there are reasons why bad things happen. Unfortunately we don't always know why they do. That's where faith comes in. You have to have faith that there is a greater good that comes from terrible things. Not only in this situation but in natural disasters, disease, etc.

When you feel the need to lash out in anger and not forgive you are holding onto negative emotions/feelings. You only give more power to the person that did wrong in the first place.

 

[Jonezie]

Elizabeth,

My statement was that we are judge and jury here on earth, but he still has to face the final Judge. Nothing confusing about that. No...I did not preach to anyone about morals...I just stated an opinion. Preaching is when I tell people that my way is the right way, or I ask people questions about their views, or try to convince them to my way of thought....I don't recall that written anywhere. It was just a stated opinion.

NCCJones...you are absolutely right...we are all just stating our opinions here. Nothing more. But I'd like to think that God is judge and jury even here on earth...not me. And I think there is a hint of inflexibility and hypocricy when you say others can "preach their morals" all day and it's not going to change you one bit, then you rant about how this guy got the option to choose lethal injection over electrocution and say you are not trying to change someone else's mind yourself.

I think we can all agree that we mourn the loss of the people whose lives were needlessly taken. But to dismiss someone else's perspective as "preaching their morals" is a loss on your part to connect with someone and understand what they have to say. There are so many great people in this world who are able to disagree without dismissing. I think people think that if they listen and try to understand where another person is coming from, they have to agree with them. That's so not the case.

 

[Jonezie]

Jane...kudos for posting! This is the most confrontational and controversional post I've seen on the forums and I know it can be a little scary to put your feelings out there. Why don't we ALL go over to Jonahnah's post and have pie together? Let's find the ways that we are alike and connect with each other. We are all Cathe lovers, a lot of us animal lovers, and many obviously pie lovers. I'm sure we'll find lots of things we agree on. MWAH to you!!