Comments on: New Jersey Abolishes Death Penalty http://www.poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/ Because Common Sense Transcends Distance Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:09:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Dyre42 http://www.poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-11119 Dyre42 Sat, 15 Dec 2007 06:33:12 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/#comment-11119 Correction, that wasn't Justin Gardner. That was me. Correction, that wasn’t Justin Gardner. That was me.

]]> By: Jimmie http://www.poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-10974 Jimmie Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:59:25 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/#comment-10974 If they're doing that when the people have specifically said not to, and one could make a very serious argument that a specific poll on a specific issue would work in this case, then yeah, I'd call that "activist". To my knowledge, and if I'm wrong I apologize up front, there hasn't been a big push in New Jersey to do away with the death penalty. There's been no referendum. No groundswell from the electorate exists. There is a commission that touts some rather nebulous "evolving standards of decency" as if those ephemeral standards have greater sway than the democratic process. You may like the results, Michael, but that doesn't make the process by which it was taken was correct or democratic. If they’re doing that when the people have specifically said not to, and one could make a very serious argument that a specific poll on a specific issue would work in this case, then yeah, I’d call that "activist".

To my knowledge, and if I’m wrong I apologize up front, there hasn’t been a big push in New Jersey to do away with the death penalty. There’s been no referendum. No groundswell from the electorate exists. There is a commission that touts some rather nebulous "evolving standards of decency" as if those ephemeral standards have greater sway than the democratic process.

You may like the results, Michael, but that doesn’t make the process by which it was taken was correct or democratic.

]]> By: Michael van der Galien http://www.poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-10969 Michael van der Galien Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:52:45 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/#comment-10969 Jimmie: activist government? Is there any other kind of government? It's not the court that outlaws it (which would indeed be ludicrous) it's the people's representatives. That's not 'activism' that's politics. Jimmie: activist government? Is there any other kind of government? It’s not the court that outlaws it (which would indeed be ludicrous) it’s the people’s representatives. That’s not ‘activism’ that’s politics.

]]> By: Jimmie http://www.poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-10964 Jimmie Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:37:43 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/#comment-10964 Interesting, given the recent article that outlined the several studies that says that <a href="http://www.sundriesshack.com/?p=3596" rel="nofollow">the death penalty actually has a deterrent effect</a>. One study pegged the number of lives saved as between 3 and 16. So, looks like the legislature of new Jersey is not only going against the express will of the people there but is also putting them at greater risk. Activist Government - is there no ill it can't produce with its bumbling? Interesting, given the recent article that outlined the several studies that says that the death penalty actually has a deterrent effect. One study pegged the number of lives saved as between 3 and 16.

So, looks like the legislature of new Jersey is not only going against the express will of the people there but is also putting them at greater risk. Activist Government – is there no ill it can’t produce with its bumbling?

]]> By: wj http://www.poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-10957 wj Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:21:15 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/#comment-10957 Lemieux, you might want to distinguish between "life" (which frequently ends up being nothing of the kind) and "life without parole" (which generally means exactly that).  I admit that I personally have no philosophical problem with the death penalty.  But practical considerations, such as those cited by Justin above, lead me to favor its abolition nonetheless.  Lemieux, you might want to distinguish between "life" (which frequently ends up being nothing of the kind) and "life without parole" (which generally means exactly that). 
I admit that I personally have no philosophical problem with the death penalty.  But practical considerations, such as those cited by Justin above, lead me to favor its abolition nonetheless. 

]]> By: Danny Lemieux http://www.poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-10950 Danny Lemieux Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:36:47 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/#comment-10950 I can understand your opposition to the death penalty. It is (and should be) a supremely difficult moral decision. However: given the realities of the U.S. (and especially European) justice systems, the likelihood is great that any murderer condemned to life in prison will be released (I understand that in Germany, for example, a "life sentence" usually means 10-15 years). So, here is my question to you: in the event that a murder is released or escapes and kills again, will you, personally, accept a share of responsibility for having let him/her live to kill again? I, too, struggled with this issue: I am a Christian who believes in personal redemption. When you kill someone, you deny them the right to accept responsibility and repent for what they did - at least, in this life. You also run a risk of innocent people being put to death. However, in the end, I also had to conclude that while I can oppose the death penalty in the abstract, I can not, in the name of past and future victims, oppose it in practice. A murderer that is executed will never kill again and serve warning to those that would. I can understand your opposition to the death penalty. It is (and should be) a supremely difficult moral decision.

However: given the realities of the U.S. (and especially European) justice systems, the likelihood is great that any murderer condemned to life in prison will be released (I understand that in Germany, for example, a "life sentence" usually means 10-15 years). So, here is my question to you: in the event that a murder is released or escapes and kills again, will you, personally, accept a share of responsibility for having let him/her live to kill again?

I, too, struggled with this issue: I am a Christian who believes in personal redemption. When you kill someone, you deny them the right to accept responsibility and repent for what they did – at least, in this life. You also run a risk of innocent people being put to death.

However, in the end, I also had to conclude that while I can oppose the death penalty in the abstract, I can not, in the name of past and future victims, oppose it in practice. A murderer that is executed will never kill again and serve warning to those that would.

]]> By: Xel http://www.poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-10947 Xel Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:29:40 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/#comment-10947 "What’s interesting in the case of New Jersey, however, is that the public doesn’t want to abolish capital punishment. This means that the Democrats who pushed this issue have quite some political courage. After all, it could very well backfire."   Dems? Defying the obsolete demands and considerations of Bob, Mitch and the Man on the street? I'll have to start searching the skies for a certain quartet of equestrians if this keeps up. "What’s interesting in the case of New Jersey, however, is that the public doesn’t want to abolish capital punishment. This means that the Democrats who pushed this issue have quite some political courage. After all, it could very well backfire."
 
Dems? Defying the obsolete demands and considerations of Bob, Mitch and the Man on the street? I’ll have to start searching the skies for a certain quartet of equestrians if this keeps up.

]]> By: Dylan http://www.poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-10943 Dylan Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:26:19 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2007/12/14/new-jersey-abolishes-death-penalty/#comment-10943 It made the news this morning here in France, too. The morning team on <em>i-tele</em> seemed to welcome it and it was presented as a rather positive change. Me? Well I am a supporter of the death penalty for heinous crimes but also of the notion that every jurisdiction should have the right to choose for itself whether they would like it. Is it really such a cost saving, though? From the TV report I watched I got the impression that no one had been executed in New Jersey for decades anyway and that only 8 people were on death row. Could not the anti-death penalty Governor simply have commuted the sentences of the 8 and promised to do the same on any others that arise? It made the news this morning here in France, too. The morning team on i-tele seemed to welcome it and it was presented as a rather positive change. Me? Well I am a supporter of the death penalty for heinous crimes but also of the notion that every jurisdiction should have the right to choose for itself whether they would like it.

Is it really such a cost saving, though? From the TV report I watched I got the impression that no one had been executed in New Jersey for decades anyway and that only 8 people were on death row. Could not the anti-death penalty Governor simply have commuted the sentences of the 8 and promised to do the same on any others that arise?

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