This issue has been discussed to death. How many times does the distinction between the taking of an innocent life and executing a guilty criminal need to be made? There is no inconsistency in holding pro-life and pro-capital punishment positions.

The world might be a better place if we imposed the death penalty on the murderers who have abortions... Before you scoff at this, remember what the Almighty did at Sodam and Gamora.

He also sent the flood when people got too far out of line...

The old testiment paints a little different picture of God's value of our Earthly lives.

 

Food for thought.

 

We ≠ God.

I support the death penalty. I oppose abortion. Most of the above posters who believe as do justify their position with religious arguments. I don't. My argument is based upon the law and upon medical realities.

 

The Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution provides for due process for all individuals. No one can remotely argue that those sentenced to death are deprived in any way of due process. The legal appeals and reviews go on for years- often a quarter of a century or more. I see the problem as being that, by the time the penalty is carried out (if ever), the victim(s) are long forgotten. All the emphasis is upon the life of the perpetrator. Capital punishment, if we have it, should be swift and certain and not subject to endless appeals by liberal groups and delays by liberal state and/or federal judges. We should remember the victim(s).

 

The truth is that, while the criminal gets endless due process, the victim(s) received none. Neither do the conceived and growing but not yet born.

 

As for abortion, the question is whether or not the unborn are entitled to due process as separate persons from the woman carrying them. That, of course, is the main reason that the courts can never conclude that a preborn is a "person". To do so would require the protections guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment and that would, in essence, almost completely end legal abortions.

 

What does our medical knowledge tell us? As is usually the case, you can get thousands of "medical experts" to argue either side of the issue. There is no medical certainty. My position was solidified by the opinion of a medical doctor who taught at the UK medical school. He was very convincing in his argument that life begins at conception.

 

Many like to rely on the "trimester approach" which they erroneously believe is medically based. If you bother to check it out, you will find that that approach is strictly legal and was established by Justice Blackmun in his majority opinion in Roe v Wade. It is merely a distinction of convenience (9 months pregnancy divided by 3 equals 3 trimesters).

 

In most legal matters in this country, when uncertain, the courts (and the population) come down on the side of caution. So, although we will never agree as to when life begins (remember that the "abortion industry" and its related "industries" is very big business), I believe we should come down on the safe side. And that side is to preserve life.

 

As I said, my position is based upon solid reasons that do not relate to religious beliefs. I can, of course, make the religious argument but I don't think it is necessary.

If you believe that abortion is wrong(as I do) AND believe that it should be a punishable crime (I don't) and you equate it to murder, are you then saying that a person who has an abortion should be punished like one who commits murder?

Where has it been proven.

 

Yes. I would like to see documentation where this has been "proven" as well.

Do you actually have any or was this rhetoric?

Yes. I would like to see documentation where this has been "proven" as well.

Do you actually have any or was this rhetoric?

 

While he may have overstated the number, there is plenty of recent history to show that the DP is not always meted out correctly and/or fairly. See: IL Gov. Thompson.

 

If the religious aspect of the DP and its view on life has no bearing, I would think the fact that innocent people have been put to death would cause one to step back and say we should re-evaluate. I know some on here have said "that's unfortunate but its usually correct so its justified." I would say those people would be calling Rev. Sharpton or their favorite Congressperson if one of their loved ones suffered this way.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=6&did=110

 

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?&did=2238

 

Some of my sources

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=6&did=110

 

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?&did=2238

 

Some of my sources

 

Your source is an anti-death penalty organization. None of the 124 listed in the first article were executed. That is rather significant, don't you think? The eight executed in the second article were sentenced to death, on the average, 12.5 years before the executions took place. The article suggests that there is strong evidence of their innocence. That is rather hard to believe since there was more than ample time (12.5 years in addition to the original investigation and trial) to submit this "strong evidence".

 

Your source is an advocate for one point of view rather than a source reporting facts. Very weak if this is the best you can offer.

 

By the way, I chose not to make the requested donation to the cause.

Question King Fish: Are you ok executing 10 killers, and 1 of those ten being innocent.

Question for you gooch: Are you OK with 10 babies being aborted and 10 cold blooded murderers being left to live?

You have stated now in two threads that "it is a proven fact that the death penalty has taken MANY innocent lives".

 

I'm still waiting for substantiation of that claim. If there was proof I'm sure it would be readily available.

 

As to your question, until there is proof that someone innocent has been executed it's strictly supposition. One thing that is not in dispute, the recidivism rate for executed murders in 0.

I shall ask for the abolition of the death penalty until I have the infallibility of human judgment demonstrated to me. -Marquis de Lafayette

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/12/national/12DEAT.html?ex=1376020800&en=68a074149c394948&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND

 

I cannot seem to find a proven case of innocents executed. Can we count the Salem Witch Trials for proof of wrong execution? LOL Just Kidding, I retract my statement.

 

But I will say that if so many people as of late have been released from death row upon new DNA and other evidence. Isnt it safe to say that innocents have been executed along the way.

I shall ask for the abolition of the death penalty until I have the infallibility of human judgment demonstrated to me. -Marquis de Lafayette

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/12/national/12DEAT.html?ex=1376020800&en=68a074149c394948&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND

 

I cannot seem to find a proven case of innocents executed. Can we count the Salem Witch Trials for proof of wrong execution? LOL Just Kidding, I retract my statement.

 

But I will say that if so many people as of late have been released from death row upon new DNA and other evidence. Isnt it safe to say that innocents have been executed along the way.

 

No, not at all. I would say that it's a case of the system working. Years pass between a sentence of death and actually carrying out the sentence so that all possibilities can be examined.

Show me that a human cannot make a mistake, and I will be for the death penalty. Until then, I will let God decide when people exit this earth.

No, not at all. I would say that it's a case of the system working. Years pass between a sentence of death and actually carrying out the sentence so that all possibilities can be examined.

 

Of course, your idyllic situation works if you go with the assumption that there is never a crooked cop, prosecutor or judge.