Comments on: Mercy is the point http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/ All Mandi Kaye, all the time Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:13:07 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Terri http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/comment-page-1/#comment-4183 Terri Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:45:52 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/#comment-4183 ugh...between the formatting and my typos...ugh ugh…between the formatting and my typos…ugh

]]> By: Terri http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/comment-page-1/#comment-4182 Terri Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:44:10 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/#comment-4182 I'll weigh in on this. I certainly can understand the desire for a death penalty.  Knowing the amount of children a pedofile usually preys on is in itself an argument for the death penalty. In a tribal society, which would have had no resources for imprisoning hardened criminals, could there be any other solution?  That's not where we're at today.  We have the ability to keep criminals out of the general population, preventing further crimes. ...allthat is from a practical point of view. Personally, I tend to not believe in the death penalty on the grounds that I personally could not take another person's life...except for maybe self-defense inthe midst of an attack.  I couldn't flip the switch.  I couldn't inject the poison.  If I personally would abhor such an action, how can I logically foist it upon another person? I wonder if Min would be willing to take the job of executioner?  No?  All things said, while not advocating for the death penalty, I certainly understand theoutrage most people feel in the face of serial killers and molesters...people who seem impossible to reform or have any sense of remorse.  In  the past, perhaps it was the most just and merciful thing for the entire society. But....societies change, and so do their methods.   I’ll weigh in on this.

I certainly can understand the desire for a death penalty.  Knowing the amount of children a pedofile usually preys on is in itself an argument for the death penalty. In a tribal society, which would have had no resources for imprisoning hardened criminals, could there be any other solution? 

That’s not where we’re at today.  We have the ability to keep criminals out of the general population, preventing further crimes. …allthat is from a practical point of view.

Personally, I tend to not believe in the death penalty on the grounds that I personally could not take another person’s life…except for maybe self-defense inthe midst of an attack.  I couldn’t flip the switch.  I couldn’t inject the poison.  If I personally would abhor such an action, how can I logically foist it upon another person?

I wonder if Min would be willing to take the job of executioner?  No? 

All things said, while not advocating for the death penalty, I certainly understand theoutrage most people feel in the face of serial killers and molesters…people who seem impossible to reform or have any sense of remorse.  In  the past, perhaps it was the most just and merciful thing for the entire society.

But….societies change, and so do their methods.
 

]]> By: You Can’t Have Mercy Without Justice : MInTheGap http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/comment-page-1/#comment-4181 You Can’t Have Mercy Without Justice : MInTheGap Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:16:40 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/#comment-4181 [...] this debate I’m having with Amanda, she believes that mercy is the point of the discussion and wonders why I gloss over this to focus on the justice aspect.  [...] [...] this debate I’m having with Amanda, she believes that mercy is the point of the discussion and wonders why I gloss over this to focus on the justice aspect.  [...]

]]> By: Musicguy http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/comment-page-1/#comment-4180 Musicguy Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:21:24 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/#comment-4180 AG- you assume that said juries are being completely impartial, which is not at all a part of our humaness.  prejudice and judgement is always there, and that affects the verdict.  AG- you assume that said juries are being completely impartial, which is not at all a part of our humaness.  prejudice and judgement is always there, and that affects the verdict. 

]]> By: AG http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/comment-page-1/#comment-4178 AG Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:45:34 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/#comment-4178 Musicguy, that's why a jury should convict only if there is no reasonable doubt. I firmly believe that as individuals, we are to show mercy.  If someone wrongs us, we may decide to not even press charges.  As a government, however, justice is most important.  The God of the old testament who commanded death is the same Jesus who told us to turn cheek for cheek.  The difference is that God was speaking to the nation's leaders and peace-keepers and Jesus was speaking to the individual. Musicguy, that’s why a jury should convict only if there is no reasonable doubt.
I firmly believe that as individuals, we are to show mercy.  If someone wrongs us, we may decide to not even press charges.  As a government, however, justice is most important.  The God of the old testament who commanded death is the same Jesus who told us to turn cheek for cheek.  The difference is that God was speaking to the nation’s leaders and peace-keepers and Jesus was speaking to the individual.

]]> By: Musicguy http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/comment-page-1/#comment-4171 Musicguy Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:19:39 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/#comment-4171 Alright- onto the real point of your post-- My views on the death penalty have changed and evolved over the course of the last five years.  I used to be a die-hard advocate (no pun intended) and thought that every one on death row deserved what was coming to them.  I'm now on the opposite end of the spectrum.  When God administered the death penalty (I’ll stipulate to the possibility this might have actually happened), we can be damn sure he was POSITIVE the person was actually guilty.  Hence, the whole Supreme Being thing. We can't always be positive of a person's guilt.  The American justice system has a plethora of flaws that release guilty men (OJ Simpson) while locking away the innocent, who tend to be minorities, who cannot afford the high power attornies. The possibility of executing an innocent man isn't as slim as we might think.  That should be reason enough to abolish CP. I find it very disconcerting that both sides of the argument can use biblical passages to buttress their arguments.  This is one of my huge problems with the bible.  It's called quote mining, and clearly illustrates the contradictions that exist within the Bible. In one passage, you read about an eye for an eye, but in another, you read about showing mercy.  Killing someone is not showing mercy, regardless of the heinous crime they may have committed.  Here's my thought-- start the argument over again, and try leaving the Bible out of it.  Do you have the same conclusions as you do now?  Can both of you make assertions and claims that exist outside of the bible's realm?  Could be very interesting to read...   Alright- onto the real point of your post–
My views on the death penalty have changed and evolved over the course of the last five years.  I used to be a die-hard advocate (no pun intended) and thought that every one on death row deserved what was coming to them. 
I’m now on the opposite end of the spectrum.  When God administered the death penalty (I’ll stipulate to the possibility this might have actually happened), we can be damn sure he was POSITIVE the person was actually guilty.  Hence, the whole Supreme Being thing.
We can’t always be positive of a person’s guilt.  The American justice system has a plethora of flaws that release guilty men (OJ Simpson) while locking away the innocent, who tend to be minorities, who cannot afford the high power attornies. The possibility of executing an innocent man isn’t as slim as we might think.  That should be reason enough to abolish CP.
I find it very disconcerting that both sides of the argument can use biblical passages to buttress their arguments.  This is one of my huge problems with the bible.  It’s called quote mining, and clearly illustrates the contradictions that exist within the Bible. In one passage, you read about an eye for an eye, but in another, you read about showing mercy.  Killing someone is not showing mercy, regardless of the heinous crime they may have committed. 
Here’s my thought– start the argument over again, and try leaving the Bible out of it.  Do you have the same conclusions as you do now?  Can both of you make assertions and claims that exist outside of the bible’s realm? 
Could be very interesting to read…
 

]]> By: Musicguy http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/comment-page-1/#comment-4170 Musicguy Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:48:35 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/#comment-4170 what can I say, I learn from the best.  what can I say, I learn from the best. 

]]> By: Amanda http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/comment-page-1/#comment-4167 Amanda Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:06:50 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/#comment-4167 Um... kind of what you did here, right? Commenting on one line that had nothing at all to do with the point of the post. Um… kind of what you did here, right? Commenting on one line that had nothing at all to do with the point of the post.

]]> By: Musicguy http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/comment-page-1/#comment-4166 Musicguy Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:04:41 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2008/03/05/mercy-is-the-point/#comment-4166 What???  Min completely glossed over a huge portion of your argument and zeroed in on a less significant aspect????? It's called his M.O.  Nothing new, and you're hardly the only one.  I have some thoughts on this, will organize and post tomorrow. What???  Min completely glossed over a huge portion of your argument and zeroed in on a less significant aspect?????
It’s called his M.O.  Nothing new, and you’re hardly the only one. 
I have some thoughts on this, will organize and post tomorrow.

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