No country that does this is civilised, IMHO

[Gritt23]

I agree with you Grit, I think that the death penalty is appropriate in some cases. Some people are clearly not capable of living in a society and following the most basic forms of civilised behaviour. By their actions they demean and damage civility and forfiet their right to live within it. Execution is cost effective surgery to remove these cancerous growths on society before they contaminate too much more.

I find that the parallel with abortion is interesting. Most people who oppose the death penalty seem to support abortion and, I suspect, vice-versa. I'm not sure I like this form of justice though:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4967108.stm

"Residents in the nearby area have reported a drop in robberies, murder and general lawlessness since the court began its work, Radio HornAfrik said. "

No real surprise there.

 

[chip]

I must stress that there is obviously a serious a serious need to fully prove the prisoner's repentance, but as a society supposedly based on Christian values, surely we should accept that any person can truly be sorry for their crimes, and in turn given a chance to find redemption? Whereas full life sentences don't allow for this chance.

And, living in a Christian country we know that if they truly repent their sins and accept salvation they can enjoy life everlasting in the Kingdom of God. Put it like that and capital punishment could become a reward like US suggests - a sort of killing two birds with one stone.

 

[Gritt23]

The problem is a lot of the murderers and rapists want to be executed and don't care if they live or die.


Zacarias Moussaoui

The whole situation of suicide bombers is just an impossible one. How do you deter them, when they are prepared to die, how do you punish them, when they desire martyrdom?

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

One thing for sure I would let Moussaoui rot in jail for the rest of his life

 

[Lammy]

how do you punish them, when they desire martyrdom?

My prefered method would be for a couple of blokes to hold their legs open whilst another bloke kicked them in the knackers repeatedly. Let them heal. Repeat.

This could be performed publicly with audience participation.

Perhaps as a filler for the National Lottery show?

 

[Gritt23]

My prefered method would be for a couple of blokes to hold their legs open whilst another bloke kicked them in the knackers repeatedly. Let them heal. Repeat.

This could be performed publicly with audience participation.

Perhaps as a filler for the National Lottery show?

We used to do something similar at school, where you hold someone legs apart and run at a nearby tree / post with them. Would never do it too hard. If only I'd realised it was a forerunning to the solution of how to punish suicide bombers. that would have sounded far better when trying to explain myself to the Headmaster.

 

[Barnet Seagull]

What are you a fan of exactly?

Today (God help us) you have become the Home Secretary, what sentences are you looking to dish out for murders, paedos and rapists?

A stern telling off perhaps, made to stand in the corner, or possibly some rehabilitation involving a new identity, new home, and a job in a school thrown in.

Please enlighten me, I'm genuinely interested to know the answer.

I think prisons in the current context do not work. It would be handy to send all the criminals to to Australia again. In all seriousness, I'd favour something similar - a new life in a remote and secure location. A penal conoly of sorts. Maybe on MARS or something.

 

[Robot Chicken]

I'm not sure I like this form of justice though:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4967108.stm

Would be interesting if this was adopted here...

Boy, 16, executes father's killer
A teenage Somali boy has stabbed to death his father's killer in a public execution ordered by an Islamic court.
Large crowds gathered at a Koranic school in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, to watch Mohamed Moallim, 16, stab Omar Hussein in the head and throat.

Hussein had been convicted of killing the boy's father, Sheikh Osman Moallim, after a row about Mohamed's education.

Islamic courts have brought a semblance of order to Mogadishu, imposing Sharia law after years of rule by warlords.

However there is some opposition to the courts. A group of warlords has been fighting a militia loyal to the Islamic courts, which they accuse of links to al-Qaeda.

Under Sharia law those who commit murder are punishable by death.

Keeping the peace

Hussein was tied to a stake and had his head covered by a bag ahead of his execution.

He shouted "There is no God but Allah" as Mohamed Moallim stepped up to take his revenge.

Speaking afterwards, the boy said he felt satisfied that Hussein was dead.

"I am happy now because I killed the man who killed my father," he told the Reuters news agency.

The execution marked the first time the local court in the Bermuda district of Mogadishu had handed down a death penalty, local media reported.

Residents in the nearby area have reported a drop in robberies, murder and general lawlessness since the court began its work, Radio HornAfrik said.

There has been no effective central government in Somalia for 15 years, leaving warlords to fight for control of local areas.

Pictures of the execution were quickly available online