Death Row Inmates

[Halfmaker]

Dehumanization is the first step to justifying violence and how can we do that better than taking away vital things like this?


Denying someone basic human rights because they conflict with laws that aren't taking into consideration the intervening elements of why the crime was committed, and even working to reinforce the atrocious system of punishment without prevention, or redemption for that matter, should not be allowed.

It's not enough that they assure us we are expelling evil because it is allowed evil, created evil and it's regulated by a system that isn't even involved with human well being and recovery (the criminal justice system), yet that is their ultimate goal. Unless things have changed and we aren't trying to help prisoners become more adjusted and balanced so they can live safely with everyone else.

 

[I Eat Pie]

why not

 

[dogs4thewin]

why not

Are you asking why they should not be allowed or why they are not allowed?

 

[I Eat Pie]

Are you asking why they should not be allowed or why they are not allowed?

No, I'm saying why not let them see family? I do support them being able to see their families.

 

[dogs4thewin]

No, I'm saying why not let them see family? I do support them being able to see their families.

Do you support them being able to TOUCH their familes? That is a contact visit.

 

[I Eat Pie]

Oh that's a bit tough. I wouldn't know if they're violent or not, but I guess it's up to the inmate and family. Though stationing guards would help.

 

[kittycat7]

Yes.

 

[Paradoxum]

They shouldn't be on death row in the first place. But if you are going to give the government the power to unnecessarily kill citizens (some of which could be, and have been, found innocent after death), then at least be humane about it.

The death penalty is a much greater condemnation of America than it is of the criminal.

 

[michaelG1949]

would you then say that the death penalty is a condemnation of God and his laws?

 

[ebia]

would you then say that the death penalty is a condemnation of God and his laws?

There's good reason for thinking that most of the death penalty phrases "... he shall be put to death" etc were never intended to be taken literally but are graphic and powerful ways of saying "this is very very bad for the community - do not do it" and were largely read that way.

 

[michaelG1949]

then the destruction of all mankind except noah and his family wasn't carrying out the death penalty? or sodom and gamorrah? seventy thou isrealites at mt sinai.

 

[ebia]

then the destruction of all mankind except noah and his family wasn't carrying out the death penalty? or sodom and gamorrah? seventy thou isrealites at mt sinai.

Even if you take those as factual-historical accounts then they are situations of God doing something, not of God authorising people do do something. There's a qualitative difference between us destroying God's image and God destroying his own image.

 

[michaelG1949]

read exodus 32, moses had the levites kill the people sided against him.

 

[michaelG1949]

and as a believer i do take those as factual. i will not underestimate God. all things are possible with God.

 

[ebia]

and as a believer i do take those as factual. i will not underestimate God. all things are possible with God.

What God can do and what is factual are not the same thing

 

[ebia]

read exodus 32, moses had the levites kill the people sided against him.

Indeed. It's a very curious text. Moses has them kill some random subset of the guilty people, but the text doesn't say God authorised him to do so, and them he goes back to God and intercedes for the rest. And let's the leader off - because its his brother, or because he believes his brother's lie? A very curious text indeed to choose to support your case. unless you're clutching at straws.

 

[michaelG1949]

moses was human, i believe he chose to believe his brother, just as many of us choose to believe our own family and find out later we were wrong.

 

[ebia]

moses was human, i believe he chose to believe his brother, just as many of us choose to believe our own family and find out later we were wrong.

So along with all the other issues if that's your best example of God authorising a death penalty it's a very poor one

 

[Verv]

Should death row inmates be permitted to have contact visits with family?

This seems reasonable -- provided they are not deemed to be at high risk of assaulting or harming them.