Consequently, I'm okay with the death penalty in principle but not as it is practiced in our country.

I'd extend this to say any country. I don't think there's a bureacratic organization on earth (or an individual, for that matter) who's infalliable or honest enough to be given power over life and death of a human being.

[eta that when I'm Queen of the Universe, sexual assaulters will instantly and automatically have their genitals repeatedly struck by lightning. It will be a perfect system.]

Aimee I just can't support executing anyone. No exceptions.

I can't say how strongly I agree with this statement. I work in the Justice system, with many dedicated hard-working super-smart people who know that the system is flawed, that people make mistakes, that evidence can have things go wrong with it, that participants can have agendas or axes to grind. The idea of making (or contributing to) a mistake that caused the state to kill someone just makes our folks ill. Being upclose to the justice system allows you to see that there isn't anything magic or perfect about it, it is as flawed and broken as any human institution, and perhaps more than many.

I'm glad I live in a country that is one step further away from the barbarism that is the death penalty. Jail means always having the opportunity to say we're sorry, we were wrong.

True. I find it very odd that the most vocal anti-abortion folk also seem to be pro-death penalty and pro-war.

This is a peeve with me. It's right up there with "Well I'm a Catholic and the Pope said _____ is wrong" when he said any number of things were wrong and the speaker does half of them.

Hypocracy gets to me.

Oooh! Oooh! And gender double standards in TV familys, say what you will about the Camdens, but they expect the boys to be virgins too. Now I'm risking a rant.

I don't think there's a bureacratic organization on earth (or an individual, for that matter) who's infalliable or honest enough to be given power over life and death of a human being.

This is actually what I was trying to say above. I mean, for example, Buffistas, who, as a group I certianly trust more than politicians, can barely discuss preferential voting/ how can anyone, anywhere, decide who wil; die. This is not to say thay were I, for example,a character on Lost, I would not turn into Ana Lucia to survive,-- just a statement on basic human nature, and our genaric fallability.

say what you will about the Camdens,

Thay got cancelled....

it is as flawed and broken as any human institution, and perhaps more than many.

WROD.

Thay got cancelled....

They had it coming. There is just no WAY the Rev. is Ruthie's dad.

I mean, for example, Buffistas, who, as a group I certianly trust more than politicians, can barely discuss preferential voting/ how can anyone, anywhere, decide who wil; die.

Forgive me for finding this so true and funny.

I mean, for example, Buffistas, who, as a group I certianly trust more than politicians, can barely discuss preferential voting/ how can anyone, anywhere, decide who wil; die.

I'm now picturing a proposal in Light Bulbs that we use preferential voting to decide who lives and dies.

I can see it now:

Live___

Die___

Tickybox!