Put simply, no. Put more forthrightly, absolutely not.
If you agree with me, please sign Martin Shapland's e-petition at the HM Government e-petitions website. It can be found here at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1090.
It has currently been signed by over 12,500 people as opposed to the contrary e-petition which has been started by Paul Staines (the infamous right-wing on-line commentator Guido Fawkes) which has currently attracted just over 6,800 signatures.
This is an issue of principle. I believe passionately in my view on this matter and it's important that in this on-line battle that those of us who do not agree with the death penalty make our voice loud and clear.
You may agree with me and you may not. That's fine because that's democracy. But if you agree with my sentiments, please sign the petition.
Couldn't agree more :) Signed
ReplyDeleteQuite agree. As much as an eye for an eye might make us feel better when seeing some of the monsters in the press. There have been travesties of justice in the past and one life lost in this manner would not be right on the individual and families involved.
ReplyDeleteI was one of the first to sign it Mark.
ReplyDeleteI DO believe that a handful of people do deserve the death penalty, like Mladic, but for most instances of domestic murders, no. By sentencing someone to hang for committing a murder, its not justice, but revenge.
I am proud not to have a religion, but it doesn't mean I dont have Christian morals. The morals of right and wrong are not the sole preserve of one or many religions.
Indeed, its invariably the right wing Christian fundamentalists in the US that are pro-death penalty which from my knowledge of the Bible is that Jesus Christ preached forgiveness and I find that on many occasions, I am more tolerant of people than many hypocrites who say they are Christian and go to church (or chapel) every Sunday. Indeed, Though shalt not kill is one of the 10 Commandments.
If more sign the petition to maintain the status quo, than the petition to re-introduce the death penalty, I hope this will finally kill off the demands over the last 50 years to re-introduce it.
I would add that if the death penalty was re-introduced and an innocent person was hanged by a misscarriage of justice, would they be happy to see the death penalty come back if ALL those involved (ie, Police, legal team, jurors, judge, hangman etc...) were all to hang because of their part in finding him/her guilty?
If you want to support the death penalty, you must be prepared to pull the handle yourself and I couldnt do it for the vast majority of cases that might get a death sentence.
The e-petitions website is one of the worst thought out 'open democracy' ideas the government has had and I don't wish to give it legitimacy by signing anything on there, even on this, despite the thought of the death penalty being sickening to me.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, even were the Staines one to get the required votes, I still have just enough trust in the sense of the majority of MP's that it would never be a serious consideration. Representative democracy over internet-led populist hysteria!