Subject: Re: mistakes
X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0 -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas
X-Comment: The Transnational Radical Party List
Dear Harry:
Your "mistakes" argument is by no means a dispositive argument against
CP. Let me tell you why. First, there is the utilitarian response. Although CP
advocates will have to accept the possibility that innocent blood might be
spilled in the quest for a safer society, it is a risk that must be taken for
the good of the ENTIRE society. The big point is this, Harry: there are a
great MANY things in our world that can mistakenly kill innocent people (like
elevators, automobiles, and nuclear power plants) but we don't outlaw them
because they of their SOCIAL UTILITY. If your response to this is, "but the
death penalty's purpose is to end life, a car's purpose is not" then let me
stop you. The death penalty's purpose is not to end life, but to PREVENT
innocent lives from ending.
As for explaining mistakes to victim's families, how DARE you take
that pompous, self-righteous tone on such a serious matter! It goes without
saying that no amount of explaining can ease suffering in such circumstances,
but you added that simply because you realize (as I am beginning to) that the
kinds of arguments that are most persuasive in this forum are those that
appeal to emotion, not to reason. In response to your question, I'll say this
(in the spirit of emotivism): if you'd be willing to explain why you oppose CP
to the families of all those innocent victims who might be spared in the
future by the rigorous implementation of the death penalty, then I'll be
willing to explain to the families of the wrongly accused innocent victims of
CP why I'm for it. You, sir, will have a LOT more explaining to do than I.
Sincerely,
Daniel A. Dorry, Esq.
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From: "HARRY H SNYDER III" To: dandorry@cnct.com
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 1995 07:26:11 EST
Subject: mistakes
Dear Dan:
I have not seen any reference to mistakes. What if the State makes
an error. Is part of the price of the death penalty an occasional
innocent victim? Would you want to explain this mistake to the
person's mother? father?/sister or brother, wife husband or even
friends? Even if a person is guilty, do you punish all those who
love this person through the act of removing hope of change and
salvation? Is the world better because of the execution of the
Rosenburgs? Caryl Chessman, Saco & Vanzetti?
I think not.
Perhaps the world would be better off without you, but
I'm not qualified to make that decission. No human is.
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