United Nations Moratorium On The Death Penalty

[Mr.Cat]

[center][img]http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/qq271/MrCat1987/800px-2008_UN_moratorium.gif[/img]
[color=#006400][b]Green[/b][/color] (106) voted is in favor. [b][color=#ff0000]Red[/color][/b] (46) voted against. [color=#daa520][b]Yellow[/b] [/color](34) abstained.[/center]

[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN_moratorium_on_the_death_penalty"]http://en.wikipedia....e_death_penalty[/url]

This resolution calls for the minimalization of capital punishment globally; for nations that have abolished capital punishment to not reinstate it; for nations that practice capital punishment to reduce the amount of crimes it is authorized for, decreasing the frequency of use, and increasing the dignity and rights for those to be executed. This non-binding resolution has seen a progressive increase of support since it's early introductions in the 1990's.

Personally I was not surprised to see the usual suspects that oppose such a non-binding resolution. Since this isn't a call for outright abolition of capital punishment, but is admittedly a step in that direction, I still want to believe this is something that even the United States can support... or at least abstain about. What do you think?

Edited September 25, 2011 by Mr.Cat

[Luigi]

I am generally and philosophically opposed to the death penalty. I just can't get real excited about it, is all. The death penalty's been around since Cain slew Abel (I know, I know, that was a crime, not a death penalty, but you know what I mean), it's been part of virtually every human culture for the last four or five millenia. If we can get beyond it, I think we should make the effort.

But criminals (I know, I know - assuming they're actually & factually guilty as charged & convicted, and even though it may be applied unevenly based on race & gender) have done something to incur it. And I don't consider it a form of cruel & unusual punishment.

I'd rather put my time, energy, and emotion into stopping abortion, which is just a variation on the death penalty. And no pre-born child - of any race or gender - has done anything to incur the death penalty.

Yet the United Nations hasn't introduced any resolutions to minimze abortion globally, have they.


I wonder why that is.

Edited September 25, 2011 by Luigi

[AccountDeleted]

It would be good if people would see the evil in the death penalty (think Jesus or John the Baptist - both innocents who were imprisoned and put to death) but human nature is a long way from that yet I think.

[CatherineM]

I'm guessing the red is where it is still done, and the green where it is not. Yellow is where they may have it on the books, but don't actually execute anyone, or it is simply the countries whose ambassador was in the bathroom during the vote.

[icelisou68]

I strongly oppose the death penalty but I do not think the US's vote casts a shadow on their international status. I think the international opinion has gotten sort of used to the idea that the US uses the death penalty and that this issue does not strongly influence their view of the country.

[Mr.Cat]

[quote name='icelisou68' timestamp='1316965547' post='2309746']I strongly oppose the death penalty but I do not think the US's vote casts a shadow on their international status. I think the international opinion has gotten sort of used to the idea that the US uses the death penalty and that this issue does not strongly influence their view of the country.[/quote]But the United States in opposing this resolution is opposing things like... limiting the death penalty to adults.... giving people fair trials and right to appeals... treating them humanely till they are executed... executing them in the most humane way possible... not killing people for opposing the state...

If this was a resolution that called for the abolition of capital punishment, I admit, I would agree... But it isn't quite that. It's almost a world's desperate plea to countries like China saying, "we don't know how many people you execute yearly, since it's a state secret... so we can only speculate and fear, but could you try to keep it under a thousand per year, thanks in advance?" Apparently the United States doesn't like that idea at all... It just... bothers me...

Especially when nations like Cuba and Vietnam, evil communists, have the decency to at least abstain... so it at least feels like the United Nations' desperate plea for some compassion isn't going on deaf ears??? But the United States gives a resounding "[i]NO![/i]"

But maybe I feel a bit too passionately about this to give a fair assessment.

[BG45]

[quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1316963254' post='2309732']
or it is simply the countries whose ambassador was in the bathroom during the vote.
[/quote]

"Well that's the last time I eat at the cafeteria, what did I miss?"

Not really surprised on how we voted. We tend to vote against a lot of things in the UN; Palestinian statehood, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (though the Supreme Court cited it in Roper v. Simmons to ban the execution of people who committed a death penalty crime as juveniles), the ban on landmines, etc.

Edited September 25, 2011 by BG45

[stevil]

There are some people that should be put to death rather than back out onto the streets to rape and kill innocents again and again. What is the point locking them up until they die, is that just to satisfy your own belief that people shouldn't be put to death? The cost spent on a lifer in prison would be best put into health care, the cost of one bullet is money well spent.

[Winchester]

floopy the UN. They happily sentence innocent civilians to death at the hand of armed criminals with their attitude towards the individual's right to self defense. Every one of those worthless bastards can keep their sanctimony, lot of twits.

[Mr.Cat]

[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1317075164' post='2310624']floopy the UN. They happily sentence innocent civilians to death at the hand of armed criminals with their attitude towards the individual's right to self defense. Every one of those worthless bastards can keep their sanctimony, lot of twits.[/quote]Winchester, you have difficulty staying on task don't you? The topic is about a United Nations non-binding resolution to minimize the death penalty and protect the dignity and rights of those to be executed.

I miss your pedantic rants...

Edited September 27, 2011 by Mr.Cat

[rizz_loves_jesus]

[quote name='stevil' timestamp='1316974475' post='2309809']
There are some people that should be put to death rather than back out onto the streets to rape and kill innocents again and again. What is the point locking them up until they die, is that just to satisfy your own belief that people shouldn't be put to death? The cost spent on a lifer in prison would be best put into health care, the cost of one bullet is money well spent.
[/quote]

Actually, a death sentence is [url="http://www.economist.com/node/13279051"]more expensive[/url] than life incarceration. Getting rid of the death penalty could actually [i]save [/i]money.

[ardillacid]

The death penalty is not expensive at all unless you make it that way.

[stevil]

[quote name='rizz_loves_jesus' timestamp='1317092611' post='2310762']

Actually, a death sentence is [url="http://www.economist.com/node/13279051"]more expensive[/url] than life incarceration. Getting rid of the death penalty could actually [i]save [/i]money.
[/quote]
Interesting read.
Does that mean a person sentenced to life imprisonment doesn't go through the appeals process?

[CatherineM]

[quote name='stevil' timestamp='1317099217' post='2310792']
Interesting read.
Does that mean a person sentenced to life imprisonment doesn't go through the appeals process?
[/quote]
They can and do, but the government has to pay for lawyers for death penalty appeals an often psychiatrists, private forensics or detectives, and not for other types of appeals. Life sentences are rarely appealed past the state supreme court level, but all death penalty appeals end up at the US Supreme Court usually, and some multiple times. Many life sentences are handed down after defendants plead guilty in order to avoid the death penalty, and those cases don't get appealed at all.

[Mr.Cat]

I don't think all death penalty cases go before the supreme court of the United States.

Because of the seriousness of capital punishment there is more money spent by prosecution, defense, and corrections to keep the person imprisoned. [i]In California for example it's joked that you are more likely to die of old age than execution while on death row. [/i]

Honestly, I am a bit weary of putting to much money and power in the hands of prosecuting attorneys, but I am fond of putting more money and power of defense attorneys. I think this would deter needless trials ([i]prosecutes would be less likely to prosecute unless they had a solid case[/i]) and promote fairer trials ([i]more and better defense[/i]).