Texas Prisons End Special Last Meals For Inmates Facing Execution.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/22/special-last-meals-texas-_n_976543.html
Bangalore
Texas Prisons End Special Last Meals For Inmates Facing Execution
by Bangalore 24 Replies latest jw friends
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nancy drew
they should just present them with an exit menu with about a dozen choices just like it is at any restaurant because it is a tradition strange as it may seem.
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darthfader
Its unfortunate that a small act of compassion for those about to be executed has been taken away because of some outragous requests by previous inmates. And before anyone says that their victims got no such last meal or a final meeting with their family, I would hope that we as a society are better than the killers we put to death.
"Is any killer worth more than his crime?"
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NewChapter
That's the important part Darth. Regardless of the crime---we as a society need to decide what kind of people we will be. Do we let the evil acts of others steal our compassion---our collective conscience? Apparently yes---that's why significant numbers can cheer for executions. We have lost our sense of decency---believe in the death penalty or not---it used to be shameful to act this way.
NC
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littlerockguy
NewChapter
Did you follow the details of the robbery, rape, torture and murder and arson of William Petit Jr's family in Connecticut? Do you think those two pricks who were responsible for that heinous crime should be given any kind of compassion? What if that was your loved ones who were murdered in such a brutal way? Would you petition the court to grant them the special last meal request?
To me those animals don't deserve another moment's thought, let alone any kind of compassion.
LRG
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Diest
I think it is a tradition that should be kept. Especially since the death penalty is not always the most fairly applied law out there. Then again I think it should be aboloished because I know there is a chance of killing and innocent person. If one inocent person dies to me the death penalty is no longer justice.
Nancy is right. They should just give a menu, or some sort of cap on what you want.
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NewChapter
Little--I am not debating whether he deserved a last meal. I am discussing our collective conscience. In the past, we have felt that we must keep our humanity and not let the actions of evil people rob us of that. When we let go of these little things, we change. Whether execution is deserved or not (and many times this is an unevenly and unjustly applied punishment) we have always held ourselves to a higher standard. Now we cheer high numbers of execution. This isn't about the condmened at all----it is about US as a people. Do we let horrible people destroy our humanity---or do we hold ourselves above it?
That's all. Take everything away from the accused---put them in rat infested cells. It doesn't really matter---but we WILL define ourselves.
NC
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sammielee24
The Petit family murder was sickening...absolutely sickening. The father survived and those that committed the crime are not innocent...there is definitive proof of that. They should not spend the next 60 years alive in prison at a time when Americans are complaining about teachers getting a pension or welfare recipients taking forced drug tests - the vast majority of all of those who have never committed a crime in their lives.
Having said that - if you are living in a society that chooses to keep murderers alive for 60 years, at a cost in the prison system of BILLIONS of dollars a year - why the heck quibble about a last freaking meal?
Let them pick off a menu and that's it. At that point you've paid to keep them alive, paid guards to watch them breathe, paid specialists to stand by to kill them when they get an okay, paid the accountants to make sure the facility is profitable - what's one meal going to cost in reality? Puleeze....what a stunt this one is.
sammies
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talesin
I 'read' this on my f/b. So sad ....
t
* yes, I'm A GD Liberal *
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talesin
Let them pick off a menu and that's it.
Sorry, Sammies, but OMG,,, we are MURDERING THEM, and we can't acknowledge their protest of that by funding a $20 meal? I am fairly certain that maybe, you never 'looked at it' that way ..
t
* and before the 'lunatic fringe' chimes in ... YES!!! I DO have a solution ... those who are in the 96% recidivist class ( ie,child molesters and serial killers) will be living on an island,,, a la "Devil's Island" ... so, just, please ,,, think about the 'idea' instead of instantly attacking,,, you are smart ... give it (the idea ) a chance. *