The Death Penalty

February 26, 2003
9:21 AM CST

I have often been asked to justify my support for the death penalty, so without further ado, here are the reasons (in no particular order):

• Vengeance—retribution is a perfectly acceptable social construct, especially for victims’ families/friends;
• Dispassion—dangerous vermin need to be exterminated;
• Economy—why should tax money support these vermin (accommodation, medical care etc) for the rest of their lives?
• Logic—when you knowingly step so far outside the norms of society, you should not expect civilized treatment in return;
• Deterrence—if you’re frightened off committing murder by the possibility of extreme retribution, fine; if you’re not, so much the better that we kill you;
• Prevention—no executed murderer has ever killed anyone else; but imprisoned murderers later released for “good behavior” etc. often have.