Re: Re: [MEDIA] the death penalty

Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Fri, 4 Dec 1998 07:05:15 -0800 (PST)

From: Paul Hughes <planetp@aci.net>

>>Brian D Williams wrote:

>> I oppose the electric chair, the gas chamber, and hanging, on
>>the grounds there is no need to be brutal.

>> Ahimsa, is a wonderful idea, but has it's exceptions in my book.

>Are these exceptions for you the conflict between Ahimsa's
>non-injury philosophy and the injury necessary to cause death for
>those sentenced under the death penalty?

I have always used the definition for Ahimsa as "to cause no unnecessary harm."

The death penalty I feel unfortunately is a necessary harm.

I think my matter-of-factness about it confuses some people. I don't "like" the death penalty, I just think it is the appropriate punishment. I wish it weren't necessary, but I'm quite sure it is, and have yet to be convinced otherwise.

ESFJ remember?

Brian
Member, Extropy Institute
www.extropy.org