Connections 321 - Sat 27 April
Quizzes & Puzzles18 mins ago
Child Killers (again)
40 Answers
Here we are again with the tragic case of Joe Geeling.
So, if I dig a big pit, and have a can of petrol and a box of matches placed nearby - are all those who previously expressed an interest in this way of dealing with childkillers ready to light the match?
And yes, I know it is sub judice (in that there is yet to be a trial), but since when has that stopped you?
Oh, and should you petrol-bomb his parents' house while you're about it?
All answers most welcome.
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See, that's where the problem lies with me... if I were to say yes to the death penalty, then to me I am being just as bad as the murderer, but at the same time the prison time that they have I don't feel is right, when they say life, they should mean life and make them work for it... and work hard, not live off the tax payers money but be taught a trade or something that can be put to use during their lifetime prisonment, and then when they die, the money that has been earned put towards their burial, and the money that they earn while alive, give it to a victims charity and a mere wage for themselves to keep them alive, hoping that they regret the day that they committed their crime....
Brachiopod - I assume you are referring to my post in the link you have mentioned. The "fire pit" I suggested was intended for the case that flip flop's original question related to ie the man who had tortured and murdered his his own baby. I formed this opinion after reading the reports that were released after the court case and learnt exactly what this "man" had done to his son. In my opinion this "man" deserves to die for his crime.
I do not know the full facts surrounding the murder of Joe Geeling so no at the moment I wouldn't "light the match" or "petrol-bomb" his parents house.
Sorry, I know I'm double-posting, but you mentioned that all answers are welcome, and I thought that the other thread might have ended...
A life for a life...
I'm going to relate an example from my own personal experience.
My aunt and her husband were tortured for several days by two guys who broke into their appartment. And then they were killed.
Do I want the inhumane animals (I have no reservations using the word because, like it or not, we all are) to be hanged, gassed, burned in a pit or otherwise disposed of?
Here's the crunch.
I. Don't. Care.
My aunt is dead and no amount of pain a state executioner or a blood-thirsty mob or a fiesty cell-mate will inflict on these guys will bring her back or make me feel better.
I do definitely want these people behind bars for life, isolated, so that they can never do what they did to anyone else.
Murder is murder. The person who has commited murder is no more or less evil if they killed a man, woman or a baby. Once you've crossed that line there's no going back, no redeeming yourself. But as tempting as it is to suggest that the person who crosses that line becomes somehow inhuman, they do not. They are indeed, still, human. Terrifying, disgusting, appaling - yes, but not inhuman.
After all, only human beings have the capacity to kill AND torture their young for reasons of emotional nature. Am I mistaken or is there no precedent in the animal kingdom for this type of behavior? Human beings are a unique and in some ways (such as this one) highly flawed species. So do we really have the right to pass life and death judgements?
A life for a life...
I'm going to relate an example from my own personal experience.
My aunt and her husband were tortured for several days by two guys who broke into their appartment. And then they were killed.
Do I want the inhumane animals (I have no reservations using the word because, like it or not, we all are) to be hanged, gassed, burned in a pit or otherwise disposed of?
Here's the crunch.
I. Don't. Care.
My aunt is dead and no amount of pain a state executioner or a blood-thirsty mob or a fiesty cell-mate will inflict on these guys will bring her back or make me feel better.
I do definitely want these people behind bars for life, isolated, so that they can never do what they did to anyone else.
Murder is murder. The person who has commited murder is no more or less evil if they killed a man, woman or a baby. Once you've crossed that line there's no going back, no redeeming yourself. But as tempting as it is to suggest that the person who crosses that line becomes somehow inhuman, they do not. They are indeed, still, human. Terrifying, disgusting, appaling - yes, but not inhuman.
After all, only human beings have the capacity to kill AND torture their young for reasons of emotional nature. Am I mistaken or is there no precedent in the animal kingdom for this type of behavior? Human beings are a unique and in some ways (such as this one) highly flawed species. So do we really have the right to pass life and death judgements?
Cont.
Intersting bit of info:
Simply by virtue of living in any developed country we are necessarily depriving some child somewhere in the third world of their daily subsistance, and thus damning them to a slow and painful death, not unlike torture.
If a parent of that child thought that we deserve to die for not doing something about it, thus contributing to the suffering and death of their child, would you still advocate the death penalty?
Outlandish far-left propaganda? No doubt someone out there zealously believes it. But that brings us full circle to the point that the decision to KILL for a cause or a reason no matter how justified or objective it might seem is a subjective decision by a human being. There are people and groups of people out there who believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that all of us deserve swift death for one reason or another. So who gets to decide who deserves to die?
Wouldn't it be better, wouldn't it be a safer world for everyone if nobody had the right to make that decision?
Intersting bit of info:
Simply by virtue of living in any developed country we are necessarily depriving some child somewhere in the third world of their daily subsistance, and thus damning them to a slow and painful death, not unlike torture.
If a parent of that child thought that we deserve to die for not doing something about it, thus contributing to the suffering and death of their child, would you still advocate the death penalty?
Outlandish far-left propaganda? No doubt someone out there zealously believes it. But that brings us full circle to the point that the decision to KILL for a cause or a reason no matter how justified or objective it might seem is a subjective decision by a human being. There are people and groups of people out there who believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that all of us deserve swift death for one reason or another. So who gets to decide who deserves to die?
Wouldn't it be better, wouldn't it be a safer world for everyone if nobody had the right to make that decision?
johnlambert,
I'm not disputing your post, I was just wondering if you could clarify a few things.
I know about chimp females killing the young of other females to maintain dominance, but I haven't heard about torture for fun amongst the chimp population.
Who specifically engages in this type of behaviour? Is it considered normal?
I'm not disputing your post, I was just wondering if you could clarify a few things.
I know about chimp females killing the young of other females to maintain dominance, but I haven't heard about torture for fun amongst the chimp population.
Who specifically engages in this type of behaviour? Is it considered normal?
i dont know if the age influences my thoughts, but generally people in prison have it far too easy. those guilty should actually be condemned to just living in one small cell with literally nothing but food twice a day. no hobbies. no visits. nothing at all. possibly not even a bed... lets see how they like having no life, but without actually dying. thats too easy for them.
I as a mum cannot begin to think what little Joe's mum and dad must be going through, my child is still here. I have mixed emotions about this...When I heard that it was a 14 year old I said to myself....Why...he is only a child himself, but what do we call a child now...they are 14 going on 24.
What drives a 14 year old child to kill another child?....I wish I had the answer.
What punishment is he going to get....none!!! Yes I agree with other posters that he will live in a secure environment.....with the telly and the playstation and everything else.....and after so many years he's allowed, with a new identity to have a life.
Can I just add that I'm from Liverpool and the James Bulger case is never far from our minds when we hear about cases like this.
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