>From: Brian D Williams <talon57@well.com>
>Reply-To: extropians@extropy.org
>To: extropians@extropy.org
>Subject: Re: Cryo-suspension for death row
>Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2000 10:44:59 -0700 (PDT)
>
>
>The death penalty is a difficult issue.
>
>The biggest problem is that the victim is lost forever, as a result
>I do not believe the killer should be allowed to live, nor be
>suspended, I believe they should be treated equally with the
>victim.
>
>Contrary to popular belief, I do believe that if this is ever
>impleted correctly (it has not been yet). It will have a deterent
>effect, not on psychotics, but on those who kill ex-spouses for
>example.
>
>But I do not require a deterrent effect to believe it is just
>punishment.
>
>
>Brian
>
>Member:
>Extropy Institute, www.extropy.org
>Adler Planetarium www.adlerplanetarium.org
>Life Extension Foundation, www.lef.org
>National Rifle Association, www.nra.org, 1.800.672.3888
>Mars Society, www.marssociety.org
>Ameritech Data Center Chicago, IL, Local 134 I.B.E.W
>
I've given a lot of thought to the death penalty. Assuming the party is
guilty (this is a big assumption which will sometimes be wrong), and that
the crime is hideous (as far as I know, every execution by the US government
during my lifetime has been for a hideous crime) then the death penalty is a
morally clean but useless ritual activity.
There's nothing wrong with it morally because the individual who you are
killing has forsaken any claim to human rights he had. I feel no sympathy
for them.
But it's really completely useless. The purpose of punishment, besides
deterrent (which is generally inapplicable in death penalty cases) is to
remove the offender from society. If he is in prison for life, he's removed
from society. Killing him will not remove him from society any further.
While he's alive, he's at least still good for slave labour, psychological
study, or medical experimentation. It's really just an excercise of
vengeance.
I think anthropologists of the future will look at the death penalty along
the same continuum of human sacrifice and Roman blood sports.
---------------------------------------------------
Zeb Haradon (zebharadon@hotmail.com)
My personal webpage:
http://www.inconnect.com/~zharadon/ubunix
A movie I'm directing:
http://www.elevatormovie.com
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