Quote

There is so much that must be done in a civilized barbarism like war.

Punishment is justice for the unjust.

The goal is justice, not executions. We all want to make sure the process is fair and that the right person is punished. These recommendations are essential to that goal.

The practice of executing such offenders is a relic of the past and is inconsistent with evolving standards of decency in a civilized society.

By 'justice', I understand nothing more than that bond which is necessary to keep the interest of individuals united, without which men would return to their original state of barbarity. All punishments which exceed the necessity of preserving this bond are, in their nature, unjust.

I don't agree with capital punishment as it is now, because too often mistakes are made. But I think that if you eliminate the mistakes, then there are times when it is justified.

If people want to take their lives and are helped to do so, the punishment is tragic for all concerned.

Punishment is now unfashionable... because it creates moral distinctions among men, which, to the democratic mind, are odious. We prefer a meaningless collective guilt to a meaningful individual responsibility.

Let the punishments of criminals be useful. A hanged man is good for nothing; a man condemned to public works still serves the country, and is a living lesson.

This is appalling. The idea that a person could be punished because of their religious belief and the idea they might be executed is just beyond belief.