I don't want to kill anyone so I oppose the death penalty.

[JDPriestly]

The thought of killing someone is morally and physically repulsive and horrible to me. Just the thought of it actually makes me feel physically ill. When I drive, I often pray and remind myself as I am getting into the car that I not do anything that will cause anyone any harm. I resent death anyway and have difficulty understanding why death has to be such a necessary and constant part of life.

Because I do not want to kill anyone or harm anyone, I cannot ask anyone to kill for me. That is why I oppose the death penalty. I believe that the act of having to kill someone is harmful to the spirit and personality of the person who is asked to do it -- whether as a policeman, a soldier or a henchman as well as the person asking to have it done. If I would not kill myself, I cannot ask someone to kill in my place or on my behalf. By asking someone to kill in my place, I am hurting them as well as the person who is being killed, and thus, I am hurting myself.

I am opposed to the death penalty out of self-interest, because asking someone to kill on my behalf would be harmful to me as well as to them. Does this make sense?

[PDJane]

1. Yes. It does.

Thank you.

The death penalty and torture and institutionalized abuse of all kinds are simply not civilized. There are no grey areas here.

[BOSSHOG]

2. A very complex issue

I don't know if I am opposed to the death penalty because I don't know if that is the harshest punishment one can receive for committing, let's say, murder.

Yes, death is part of life. I am an advocate of assisted suicide for selfish reasons. I value the lives of my loved ones too much for them to be ruined financially by being forced to care for me (if it comes to that) while I lie in a vegetative state hooked up to life support because someone thinks that ought to be done because of their religious beliefs. They "value" my life while providing no financial assistance to keep alive. Let them spend a month in an Alzheimer's wing of a nursing home to verify their "morals." Let me die. Let my family live.

I don't see how carrying out the death penalty is harmful to you but I'm a simple kinda guy.

[rock]

3. I don't want our government to kill to anyone,

so I'm against the death penalty. If you trust the government (and it rarely makes mistakes) then you might be for the death penalty. Remember we're talking about the rights for the govenment (not for the people).