Comments on: Death Penalty http://nyc.metblogs.com/2007/01/31/death-penalty/ Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:58:39 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Noah http://nyc.metblogs.com/2007/01/31/death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-3731 Noah Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:46:37 +0000 http://nyc.metblogs.com/2007/01/31/death-penalty/#comment-3731 I am with Tracy here (although I know Eric is not necessarily taking a side). Yes, people grow and change, but if they committed a crime, they need to understand that a certain cloud will always hang over their head. They will outgrow it when they prove themselves. They may never escape the stigma of being branded a convict, but at least they can get enough good under their belt to prove that that is no longer who they are. A good example would be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Sirico" rel="nofollow">Tony Sirico</a>, the guy who plays Pauly on The Sopranos. He went to prison, and changed his life. He is now famous and probably very rich. I am with Tracy here (although I know Eric is not necessarily taking a side). Yes, people grow and change, but if they committed a crime, they need to understand that a certain cloud will always hang over their head. They will outgrow it when they prove themselves. They may never escape the stigma of being branded a convict, but at least they can get enough good under their belt to prove that that is no longer who they are. A good example would be Tony Sirico, the guy who plays Pauly on The Sopranos. He went to prison, and changed his life. He is now famous and probably very rich.

]]> By: Eric http://nyc.metblogs.com/2007/01/31/death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-3730 Eric Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:13:30 +0000 http://nyc.metblogs.com/2007/01/31/death-penalty/#comment-3730 I hope you realize I'm mostly playing devil's advocate here, but I find it, at the least, a fun and enlightening exercise. So, if we have to live with the consequence of our actions, where do those consequences finally end? Is there ever a point at which you are well and truly forgiven for something you've done or does "justice" mandate that the spectre that "you did it once, you'll do it again" forever follow you? If so, how soon before it's just cursory procedure for our entire history - credit, criminal, education - to be on a bar code on our ID, to be scanned by potential employers, banks and schools? I hope you realize I’m mostly playing devil’s advocate here, but I find it, at the least, a fun and enlightening exercise.
So, if we have to live with the consequence of our actions, where do those consequences finally end? Is there ever a point at which you are well and truly forgiven for something you’ve done or does “justice” mandate that the spectre that “you did it once, you’ll do it again” forever follow you? If so, how soon before it’s just cursory procedure for our entire history – credit, criminal, education – to be on a bar code on our ID, to be scanned by potential employers, banks and schools?

]]> By: tracy http://nyc.metblogs.com/2007/01/31/death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-3729 tracy Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:09:19 +0000 http://nyc.metblogs.com/2007/01/31/death-penalty/#comment-3729 "but when does punishment extend to life?" When you have taken one yourself. "Or repeated reminders to everyone you once did something even if you never did it again?" Understandable. But when it comes to getting turned down for jobs due to a criminal past, that is something that should be taken up with potential employers. A record is a record. You may not hold up a bank with a gun again, but you did it once and you have to live with it. Every action has a consequence, it's called life. “but when does punishment extend to life?”
When you have taken one yourself.

“Or repeated reminders to everyone you once did something even if you never did it again?”
Understandable. But when it comes to getting turned down for jobs due to a criminal past, that is something that should be taken up with potential employers. A record is a record. You may not hold up a bank with a gun again, but you did it once and you have to live with it. Every action has a consequence, it’s called life.

]]> By: Eric http://nyc.metblogs.com/2007/01/31/death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-3728 Eric Thu, 01 Feb 2007 19:03:43 +0000 http://nyc.metblogs.com/2007/01/31/death-penalty/#comment-3728 Granted, he's not the best example given his repeated lack of remorse, but when does punishment extend to life? Or repeated reminders to everyone you once did something even if you never did it again? Granted, he’s not the best example given his repeated lack of remorse, but when does punishment extend to life? Or repeated reminders to everyone you once did something even if you never did it again?

]]> By: Tracy http://nyc.metblogs.com/2007/01/31/death-penalty/comment-page-1/#comment-3727 Tracy Thu, 01 Feb 2007 18:16:55 +0000 http://nyc.metblogs.com/2007/01/31/death-penalty/#comment-3727 I have no "sympathy" for fellow man when they kill two police officers, show NO remorse and then try to use their past as an excuse. Touch (and in some cases worse) little kids? You bet your ass I want to know who you are so I go nowhere near you. Sorry, some people absolutely deserve what they get. Why is it right that i went to school to get an education that landed me the job i have only to have a large sum of my money taken in taxes that in part go to "rehabilitating" prisoners? That is not my problem. I have no “sympathy” for fellow man when they kill two police officers, show NO remorse and then try to use their past as an excuse. Touch (and in some cases worse) little kids? You bet your ass I want to know who you are so I go nowhere near you. Sorry, some people absolutely deserve what they get. Why is it right that i went to school to get an education that landed me the job i have only to have a large sum of my money taken in taxes that in part go to “rehabilitating” prisoners? That is not my problem.

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