Message #11211

[djpcps]

In my opinion, killing is too good for these people.  A nice quick death, whether painless or not, is not what they deserve.  In this case, McVeigh wants to die, and he wants his execution to be televised.  Why should we give him what he wants?  I do agree that it will only make him a martyr among the fringe element.  If we are going to use capital punishment, we need to do it quickly instead of after numerous appeals, and the only witnesses should be officials and those victims' family members who wish to be there.  Something like that should never be televised or made available to the public, because it does indeed trivialize killing.



However, if we don't use capital punishment, I also don't believe in the current version of "prison" - why should killers be exempt from cruel and unusual punishment when their victims weren't.  Why should taxpayers carry the burden of providing inmates with better medical care, food and shelter than millions of others can afford?  Just giving up your freedom is not enough - I say bring back some versions of that "cruel and unusual" punishment - like chain gangs, road crews, etc.  Hard physical labor to earn their support isn't unreasonable - maybe some of the methods used to punish them for infractions were, but the work itself isn't.  Or for non-violent prisoners - half-way houses where they have jobs and pay restitution either to their victims or to the state that supports them - instead of receiving free room and board, free lawyers, free access to law libraries for their appeals, etc.