Texas rejects EU executions plea Options

[schwab]

I wouldnt expect anything else from a texas response

Texas has told the European Union to mind its own business after the bloc called on the state's governor to get rid of the death penalty.

The EU expressed "great regret" at Texas' preparations to carry out its 400th death penalty and renewed its call to the US to halt executions.

Johnny Ray Conner, 32, will be executed on Wednesday for the 1998 fatal shooting of a grocery store clerk.

But Governor Rick Perry insisted it was a "just and appropriate" punishment.

He was responding robustly to the EU's denunciation of judicial killings as "cruel and inhumane".

The statement from the Portuguese presidency of the 27-nation bloc said: "The European Union strongly urges Governor Rick Perry to exercise all powers vested in his office to halt all upcoming executions and to consider the introduction of a moratorium in the state of Texas."

Texans long ago decided the death penalty is a just and appropriate punishment for the most horrible crimes committed against our citizens
Governor's spokesman

It continued: "There is no evidence to suggest that the use of the death penalty serves as a deterrent against violent crime and the irreversibility of the punishment means that miscarriages of justice, which are inevitable in all legal systems, cannot be redressed."

But Robert Black, a spokesman for the Texas governor, told the BBC News website: "Two hundred and thirty years ago, our forefathers fought a war to throw off the yoke of a European monarch and gain the freedom of self-determination.

"Texans long ago decided the death penalty is a just and appropriate punishment for the most horrible crimes committed against our citizens.

"While we respect our friends in Europe ... Texans are doing just fine governing Texas."

According to the Washington-based Death Penalty Information Center, 1,090 executions have taken place in the US since the Supreme Court lifted a ban on capital punishment in 1976.

Texas has carried out more than a third of those.

[impala454]

a very good response imho.

[GOB]

i would expect the vatican to say something, but not the EU

[schwab]

ive seen articles with the US criticizing other countries for the their death penalties, which seems hypocritical to me...and it does not surprise me that the EU would say that...

[impala454]

yeah because we really need to be humane to people who have murdered several people

[THECHICKEN]

Interesting that of all orginizations and people to request this, it was the EU... and not a humane group.

Though its nice to say "stop the death penalty," its not exactly like it can be summarily stopped. The people want it around, so thus their representatives will keep it around. Is it a little out dated, sure, but you need to convince the people of that before it can be stopped... hopefully that'll be done at some point.

Im not fully against the death penalty, but it is way over used in my opinion

[impala454]

well an open question then:

When do you feel the death penalty is necessary?

[schwab]

hell i think its cheaper to just use it and have it over with..but im not fully for the death penalty, its one of those things im not for but dont mind having it. I personally think only people who are committing brutal murders should receive it...but that is more or less the way it is now anyways.....

Death penalty is not stopping people from committing any crimes, as they said....

[impala454]

yeah but it's stopping us from paying for the scum's room & board for the next 50 years.

[chook]

I'm against the death penalty.

[THECHICKEN]

well an open question then:

When do you feel the death penalty is necessary?

In short: extreme cases

Treason
manson
hitler
etc

[FORSAKENR320]

i'm all for it. and the reason it doesn't stop people from committing crimes is because the public doesn't see it first hand. to say "oh, my nieghbor just died" is something way different that SEEING your nieghbor just die. humans are visual creatures, and we are really good at refusing to see what we don't want to. good example:: impala's debate tactics

[THECHICKEN]

i'm all for it. and the reason it doesn't stop people from committing crimes is because the public doesn't see it first hand. to say "oh, my nieghbor just died" is something way different that SEEING your nieghbor just die. humans are visual creatures, and we are really good at refusing to see what we don't want to. good example:: impala's debate tactics

Yes, and we could also make many lessor crimes death penalty eligible (stealing, etc.) like in the old west, because if it deters then its an ok thing to do right?

Joking aside though, i just think that if we hope to move forward as a species we need to stop with the idea of "you killed someone, so we're gonna kill you right back". If we have laws against killing, it just seems odd that so many could be put to death by the very same laws...

[blaarg]

I've heard death penalty cases cost more than incarcerating the individual for the rest of his/her life. More expensive appellate process, more money to house them on the death row, expensive of the actual execution, etc... outweighs simply throwing them in prison for the rest of their life.

It's tough to get an unbiased opinion to back up this claim (google "death penalty cost" and see what I mean), but it certainly seems at the very least a reasonable assumption.

[blaarg]

i'm all for it. and the reason it doesn't stop people from committing crimes is because the public doesn't see it first hand. to say "oh, my nieghbor just died" is something way different that SEEING your nieghbor just die. humans are visual creatures, and we are really good at refusing to see what we don't want to. good example:: impala's debate tactics

This is the crux of Camus's argument against the death penalty in "Resistance, Rebellion, and Death".
A good read...

[blaarg]

So for all the death penalty proponents, what do you think should have been done to Zacarius Moussaoui (the only guy convicted of the 9/11 attacks) who WANTED to get executed for "the cause"

They gave him life for his punishment.

Right decision?

[cupcake]

fuck the EU

fuck the UN

fuck NAFTA

and fuck every other foreign entity that thinks their opinion regarding the governing of America (or Texas in this case) holds any weight.

we didn't vote for those fucks. and they aren't Americans.

they are delusional.

[Hartmann]

For a somewhat "conservative" guy I am torn on the death penalty. It seems right to punish someone for their deeds, but at the same time, I do not think it is right for me to argue pro-life and pro-death penalty arguments at the same time.

I would be much more content if the state refined the penal system so that criminals had to work while incarcerated. Make them pick crops, pick up trash, repair roads, etc.

[Seeker]

life in prison is a lot worse than the death penalty (that is, if you're not christian)

[Hartmann]

life in prison is a lot worse than the death penalty (that is, if you're not christian)

Why if you're not Christian? No one wants to die.


And, life in prison is easy when you talk to my uncle who is a former corrections officer. Inmates received decent food, a full library, cable TV, $$$, cigarettes, etc.

If you think prison is worse because of something the History Channel aired, then you need to have a sit down conversation with my uncle. Yeah, there are gang fights and stuff like that, but that stuff is in the real world, but you don't see people committing mass suicide because they can't handle it.

[False Dude]

There was a gang fight at work yesterday. Good thing I hang out with the Mexicans because they severely fucked shit up.


Food, TV, cigarettes, books can't make up for living in a 8x9 cell and having to deal with violent criminals for the rest of my life.

[Seeker]

There was a gang fight at work yesterday. Good thing I hang out with the Mexicans because they severely fucked shit up.
Food, TV, cigarettes, books can't make up for living in a 8x9 cell and having to deal with violent criminals for the rest of my life.

Where the fuck do you work, was this at your "import/export" business? I guess shit happens when a deal goes bad.

[Seeker]

Why if you're not Christian? No one wants to die.
And, life in prison is easy when you talk to my uncle who is a former corrections officer. Inmates received decent food, a full library, cable TV, $$$, cigarettes, etc.

If you think prison is worse because of something the History Channel aired, then you need to have a sit down conversation with my uncle. Yeah, there are gang fights and stuff like that, but that stuff is in the real world, but you don't see people committing mass suicide because they can't handle it.

Because if you're not Christian (or Muslim) you're more than likely Atheist so once you die that's it, no suffering after death, you just don't exist. Or you could be of the Far East persuasion and believe in reincarnation, therefore you would probably rather just start a new life instead of being stuck in prison for life.

The only people who actually support the death penalty are Christians/Muslims because they think the accused will be sent to hell to suffer even worse than life in prison (which is ridiculous btw).

In the case of Musims they actually want to die because they think they'll be sent to heaven with 49 virgins. Life in prison for them is much more torture than the death penalty.

And I don't think life in prison is that easy, unless you enjoy teh butt-secks.

[THECHICKEN]

Because if you're not Christian (or Muslim) you're more than likely Atheist so once you die that's it, no suffering after death, you just don't exist. Or you could be of the Far East persuasion and believe in reincarnation, therefore you would probably rather just start a new life instead of being stuck in prison for life.

The only people who actually support the death penalty are Christians/Muslims because they think the accused will be sent to hell to suffer even worse than life in prison (which is ridiculous btw).

In the case of Musims they actually want to die because they think they'll be sent to heaven with 49 virgins. Life in prison for them is much more torture than the death penalty.

And I don't think life in prison is that easy, unless you enjoy teh butt-secks.

Thats a pretty argumentative way to look at why people support the death penalty lol...

I see it more as people think that the person can't contribute anything else to this world and deserves to be put to death since they killed someone themselves (eye for an eye).

[Billy]

If prison were tougher, as in suicide rate of long term inmates were something on the order of 10 to 20%, then I would support getting rid of the death penalty. I would also support shorter sentencing. But until then, this is really the last thing we have left before I believe America protects its criminals.

[FORSAKENR320]

i believe that if someone is deemed worthless to society, won';t contribute, and has a cronic habit of taking away from it, then the death penalty should be used for severe crimes. aggravated sexual assault, murder, etc. i do NOT believe we should keep them waiting for 15 years to "think about it" get it done already. i got $.27 for a bullet, i'll do it. "the time period allows it to sink in that we are gonna kill them!" fuck that. if you need to scare them so that it's punishment, scheduelt them for execution. go through the process, when it comes down actual act and you've DEFINATELY got their attention, take them back to ISOLATION SO THEY CAN"T TALK ABOUT IT TO OTHER INMATES. let them stew over it for 2 days, then take them back and actually execute them.

[schwab]

fuck the EU

fuck the UN

fuck NAFTA

and fuck every other foreign entity that thinks their opinion regarding the governing of America (or Texas in this case) holds any weight.

we didn't vote for those fucks. and they aren't Americans.

they are delusional.

that is great and all, but we do the same to every other country....

[THECHICKEN]

i believe that if someone is deemed worthless to society, won';t contribute, and has a cronic habit of taking away from it, then the death penalty should be used for severe crimes. aggravated sexual assault, murder, etc. i do NOT believe we should keep them waiting for 15 years to "think about it" get it done already. i got $.27 for a bullet, i'll do it. "the time period allows it to sink in that we are gonna kill them!" fuck that. if you need to scare them so that it's punishment, scheduelt them for execution. go through the process, when it comes down actual act and you've DEFINATELY got their attention, take them back to ISOLATION SO THEY CAN"T TALK ABOUT IT TO OTHER INMATES. let them stew over it for 2 days, then take them back and actually execute them.

What happens when you murder a person who is innocent because theres no time for a correct appeals process to clear the person? Too bad, so sad?

[cupcake]

that is great and all, but we do the same to every other country....

I didn't say it was right.

I'm all for shutting down team america's handout shop and letting everyone else fuck off for a while without our help.

let them sweat it out as they see how good they had it prior.

last I checked no one in europe is funding us...

[FORSAKENR320]

What happens when you murder a person who is innocent because theres no time for a correct appeals process to clear the person? Too bad, so sad?

how often does this happen? RARELY and it's almost always covered in the news for about 3 damn weeks.


and what about that case i've been hearing about, where suddenly right before the guy is gonna be executed, several witnesses suddenly remembered AFTER 15 YEARS! "oh, this is how it actually happened"

one reason our capitalism works is because we put a deadline on almost anything. get rid of the damn procrastination. if it was only 5 years before this guy got executed, would those witneses had their "brain farts" at that time? pretty damn likely, giving the convienience of the circumstances. give an american man a week to mow the lawn, i can (almost) guarantee he'll wait until the 7th day to do it.