I will admit, like Socrates and Aristotle and Plato and some other philosophers, that there are instances where the death penalty would seem appropriate.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I think in some instances that the death penalty is required.
I believe that people would be alive today if there were a death penalty.
Almost all the early Christian Fathers were opposed to the death penalty, even though it was of course standard practice across the ancient world.
You know, the Bible is so clear. Go to Genesis chapter nine and you will find the death penalty clearly stated in Genesis chapter nine... God ordains the death penalty!
I don't want to put one innocent person to death to put 99 that are guilty to death. So philosophically I'm a tooth-for-tooth guy, but the reality is the death penalty as public policy is flawed.
It's absolutely clear that whatever cruel and unusual punishments may - may mean with regard to future things, such as death by injection or the electric chair, it's clear that - that the death penalty, in and of itself, is not considered cruel and unusual punishment.
I believe that the death penalty is an effective penalty.
Personally I am very much against the death penalty for several reasons.
As long as you have capital punishment there is no guarantee that innocent people won't be put to death.
My objection to the death penalty is based on the idea that this is a democracy, and in a democracy the government is me, and if the government kills somebody then I'm killing somebody.