Quote:
Originally Posted by Lotus
I respect your opinions and am not saying that you are wrong. But notice that the arguments made by those against the death penalty are rational arguments, not emotive ones. Herein lies a difference between the sides. I'm not saying better or worse, just different.
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Right, because at the core of people's personalities and the way their brains are hardwired, some have a strong need for justice, and to see the score evened so to speak. If you profile Ghandi's personality, he would absolutely not be one of those people.
For those who have that strong need for justice, justice is not a value, it's an actual need. Meaning for them, it sits somewhere above food, shelter and safety in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. In other words, if people don't get justice, they actually have a physical reaction and get outraged. It's just the way their brains are wired.
For people like Ghandi, justice is a value. Something they strive to attain, but they're not going to get all pissed if it doesn't happen. Instead they'll turn the other cheek and move on.
So while you can make all the rational arguments you want, some sense of justice needs to be maintained to prevent those who need it from raging against the machine. There's a cost/benefit that has to be factored into the equation. And chances are that many people will react violently if the next Jeffrey Dahmer is given life in prison. Given that, it makes more rational sense to put him under the ground, because the will of the masses weighs heavier than the rational thoughts of the few.
In truth, not many people are sentenced to death, it really is only the most egregious of criminal acts that gets you there. Usually, if someone says they're sorry and admits wrongdoing, they'll get life in prison, even in Texas. That strikes a happy medium between maintaining a sense of justice amongst the people, and preserving the sanctity of all human life. That's why you don't see people raging over the issue these days. The line is drawn where society needs it to be.