Saddam executed; Your thoughts?

[delalluvia]

Wayne

It is fine that they hung those boys for having being lovers...it was the majority opinion and their own country...they can kill whoever they choose. It was just and moral!!

What difference should it make to us? *SHRUG*

What do you suggest we do?  Invade?

[delalluvia]

I am getting at...they (Nuremburg) waited until there was stability and the war was OVER before they started summarily executing people. I just do not understand this rush to execution...except in the light that the US leaders wanted it to be fast.

So are you saying the Iraqi people didn't want quick justice?

and Saddam DID rush people thru trials and execute them in a big rush...it is considered to be one of his crimes

Um, how many of those people he rushed through trial and execution were mass murderers and psychopaths?

Again, you're comparing Joe in the Street to Saddam.

[injest]

The US stands proudly with with our colleagues Iran, China, and the Congo in the right of the state to execute teenagers.

Besides Iran, only China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan and the United States are known to have put juvenile offenders to death in the past five years.

The U.S. executed nine juvenile offenders during this period; the other countries are each known to have put one juvenile offender to death.

well MIGHT MAKES RIGHT!!

[Lynne]

I think anytime some's death is put up in the media for examination, it is sickening thing. I am not in favor of the death penalty, so much so I have in my will that if I am murdered my killer is not to receive the death penalty. People like Sadam deserve to be locked away for the rest of their days, killing them only satisfies a blood lust we need to evolve away from.

Truman - what an excellent idea.  I will do the same at the first opportunity.  I told my mom after 9/11 that had I been in those towers, I wouldn't want my murder to be avenged, just justice.  It's a much better idea to have it in writing.

I don't consider myself particularly religious, but I do try to conduct myself with integrity.  Being human, I obviously fail sometimes, but that's what being human is all about.  Isn't it ironic that the 'eye for an eye' justice comes from the same holy book condemning homosexuality, endorsing the murder of the men of other tribes, appropriating their women and property, etc.?  That was 2000+ years ago so I have no clue how long this evolution process is going to take.  If you disregard all the crap, there's some good guidelines there like the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule, and it seems straightforward to me.  'Thou shalt not kill.' isn't followed by a long list of exceptions, yanno?

Random fact about me - the day Timothy McVeigh was executed I ate mint chocolate chip ice cream (his last meal) and I haven't been able to touch it again since.

Too many people have lost their lives already ... we need peace .. and fast.

Amen.

[Kd5000]

I view it as somewhat of a hollow victory for the United States govt.  It's not like the Nuremberg Trials where the war is over and the execution of leading Nazis brings some sense of closure to the whole ordeal. 

The United States has now had 2,998 soldiers killed in Iraq with no let-up.   This is not the final chapter and I don't see a happy ending for Iraq.

I'm glad the man's life ended and he didn't escape into exile (Idi Amin) or die a natural death (Pinochet) and never face a tribunal in their country.

[Wayne]

What difference should it make to us? *SHRUG*

   Jess you such a relativist!   

[Kelda]

I am getting at...they (Nuremburg) waited until there was stability and the war was OVER before they started summarily executing people. I just do not understand this rush to execution...except in the light that the US leaders wanted it to be fast..

ok Jess - thanks for clearing that up - fair point. Not necesarilly my point of view under these circumstances but I see what you are getting at.

[Wayne]

'eye for an eye' justice

Yep - and even when Jesus quoted it from the old testament, he said it was wrong! Doesn't fit with an "inerrancy of the scriptures" model. (maybe a little off-topic?  sorry!     )

You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.

For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same?
Matthew 5 38-39, 46

[Wayne]

I oppose capital punishment just because I don't like to think of one person killing another person in cold blood. Let's face it, that's what it is. And if society pays them to do it that makes it worse. We PAY somebody to kill somebody? Yuck!   

But that is mere emotion. I think there are plenty of logical reasons for opposing capital punishment too.

If a society practices capital punishment it allows the stakes to be set to high. People have different moral principles, but if you tell them they're going to be killed unless they say what you want to hear, it makes it more likely they will say what you want to hear. So you never have any reliable information.

Consider the case of the hanged Iranian teens. They were accused of rape. But what actually happened? There were witnesses who were other teenage Iranian boys. If those other boys contradicted the state, they would be subject to hanging too. There is no way to know what actually happened.

[delalluvia]

Yep - and even when Jesus quoted it from the old testament, he said it was wrong! Doesn't fit with an "inerrancy of the scriptures" model. (maybe a little off-topic?  sorry!     )

You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.

For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same?
Matthew 5 38-39, 46

Yes, too bad few Christians ever followed these words.

Per the Christian story, Jesus was executed anyway.  His attitude and teachings changed nothing.  All it did was put a Christian veneer on the same people and instead of being open and honest about their warring actions, they turned to hypocrisy.

See Dubya "I'm a Christian but believe in starting wars for no reason" Bush for an example.

If no one wanted to exert their power over others, were enlightened, respected the rights of others, etc. then wars and executions would indeed be unnecessary to protect those who follow this idea. Unfortunately, the world has people who have absolutely no respect for others and think nothing of abusing or killing them. Self defense or defense of a society from these sorts is not unreasonable - indeed, not defending yourself and society from such people is what is unreasonable.

Someone posted earlier that killing was bad, period.

I believe in self-defense.  If you killed someone defending yourself or your family, is it still a bad thing for you to have done?  Should you have turned the other cheek and let your abusers do whatever they want?