(Untitled)

[nightmaremuse]

So Saddam Hussein is sentenced to death. Well, everyone knew that was coming. I wonder how much longer they'll make him wait. I think that's the cruellest thing about the death sentence. Just waiting for that time to tick out, hope after hope being crushed. I'm not saying he hasn't done terrible things or that he doesn't deserve it. Just commenting

Comments

[maiafay]

He does deserve it, but I wonder how much worse is it to be "king"--then shoved in a jail cell and sentenced to death. That has to be terrible for him I think. He seems prideful, so stripping him of everything on top of his death sentence--I can imagine his fury.

[nightmaremuse]

Probably a very angry man pacing around his cell.

[shady_heaven]

You're right.

I think Saddam's punishment fits the crime, but I can't see any point in degrading him any further. Really, would good would come of it? He's a really bad person, yes, but that is no reason for us to follow his example.

[nightmaremuse]

I've always thought there was something futile about the death sentence, because it doesn't undo the bad things the deathrow boys have done. I guess I've got a mentality that it's not worth becoming a killer over people as worthless as them, but their deaths might give some closure to those who have suffered as a result.

[shady_heaven]

I don't think the death penalty is futile, because it costs money to keep inmates alive. The way I see it, if a person kills and shows no remorse and no will to better his/her self and redeem, by all means, give the person the death penalty! No good comes of prolonging their lives on taxpayers' money.

However, if the murderer is genuinely sorry for what he or she has done and uses his/her time in prison to soul-search, try and better his/her self, and redeem--that's completely different. It's best to keep these people alive, as they set a shining example of how even the worst humans can change for the better, and it breeds hope.

[nightmaremuse]

I don't really disagree with the idea, because the people sentenced to death are never going to be released into society, but I think that if the courts are going to kill someone they shouldn't shag about. If they are going to let some one off with life imprisonment after years of threatening death, they should just make that judgement from the beginning. From what I've heard (not very accurate, probably) the time between sentencing and time of death can leave inmates sitting on deathrow for five years or so. Maybe that's a good thing, though; giving them a chance to repent or whatever. I think it would drag their victim's families through pain for those five years, with it constantly being brought in papers and appeals.

In so many areas, the law is designed to protect the criminal and not the victim.

[shady_heaven]

Agreed. The death penalty should not be reached lightly, but once it's been decided on they should execute it immediately and not leave people hanging for years on end.

Some criminals actually want to die once they've been captured; they know that their crimes are so great that they could never be integrated into society again. Others ( like my "pal" Kip ) are able to cultivate hope and put the remainder of their life to good use. It all depends on the person.

While I strongly feel that we shouldn't kill people solely as a way of saying killing is wrong, financially it makes sense to off those who are non-repentant and worthless to society. However, that brings into play the question of who's worth saving, and determining that is...difficult. I'm really glad I'm not in charge of those types of decisions.