6 Response to "Calling His Bluff"

• Mark Says: 30 December, 2006

  I'm against the death penalty except in crimes against the state and crimes against humanity. I'm glad he's dead frankly.

  


• Nichole Says: 30 December, 2006

  I agree. I am, however, disturbed by the pictures being posted on the news webpages. Most particularly the ones with the rope around his neck. I appreciate your good sense not to post those. I hope the ear is feeling better. I know "certain" people are looking forward to coming down this weekend. :)

  


• Mean Rachel Says: 30 December, 2006

  I'm certainly not saying Hussein was not a tyrant. And the world is probably better off without him.
  
  However, his fate would have been totally different had Saddam cooperated with the UN inspectors. Would he be dead today for his crimes against humanities? I don't think so.
  
  Calling his bluff proved to be quite costly in so many ways and paid in so many lives.
  
  Thanks for weighing in on this -- it's an interesting moral debate and brings capitol punishment to a global scale.

  


• Mark Says: 30 December, 2006

  I'm agnostic so I don't have a moral (Playing God) problem with the death penalty but I do think we have executed people in the US who didn't commit a crime. I also know it has been proven to not be a deterrent, and it cost more to execute someone then to keep them in jail for life even if the person is 18 and lives to 100. This is because of the appeals process afforded to capital punishment cases. From a simple tax savings stand point I am against it. The only argument for it is vengance and the state should not be involved in vengance. IF it was only used in select cases of crimes against the state and humanity then I think it could be a deterrent. IF we think the death penalty is a just punishment we shouldn't be affraid to broadcast it on TV for everyone to see. At least it would be a deterrent then.

  


• Mean Rachel Says: 30 December, 2006

  Morality isn't just about God. In fact, it's more about conscience and values. If you believe that people have been unjustly convicted and executed for crimes they did not commit, and you believe that this is wrong, then you do have a moral problem with the death penalty.
  
  As for the death penalty serving as a deterrent to criminals, I feel fairly certain that Osama is not going to scale back his operations due to Saddam's execution.
  
  Martyrdom is such a common concept in Islam that it could be equated to the Christian version of penance. Saddam's execution will likely be seen by upcoming radicals as nothing more than another glorified submission to Allah.
  
  There will be no deterrent factors stemming from Saddam's execution, other than deterring any sort of peace or understanding between the sides.

  


• Mark Says: 30 December, 2006

  I do have a problem with people being executed who haven't committed a crime and that's why I listed it as one of the reasons I'm against the death penalty. I was only referring to moral playing god factor as one single issue I don't have a problem with. Meaning if the death penalty was effective deterrent and it was only used when there was 100% certainty and was cheaper, then I'd be all for the death penalty. I'm for less killing of innocent people and if a death penalty achieved that then I'm for it because I hold little remorse for anyone who takes innocent life.
  
  I don't buy the argument that Saddam's Martyrdom will be a more lasting effect to promote any cause then had he been able to live life in jail. Esp in Iraq where I think a lot of people feared that he may someday be released. I think there are deterring effects to his execution. Not on Osama but I never raised that point. I was referring to other dictatorships and their treatment of opposition within their country. We just disagree on that I guess.