Do you think there should be capital punishment for terrorists?

[Onionman]

My view on this changes with the seasons. I'm not a fan of "an eye for an eye" in principle. It's just not the way I grew up seeing the world. But you do hear about so many horrible and hideous atrocities that it's not hard to find yourself shaped by different thinking.

What about you? How do you see the debate?

 

[Gabe]

I'm not in favor of the death penalty even if someone is guilty and confesses because I don't think humans have a right to decide who should die or not. They can decide to punish, but for terrorists it would be seen as martyrdom and a harsher punishment would be to make them live and work under strict conditions in isolation.

 

[Rainman]

I'm also against the death penalty for terrorists. Isn't that what they want? To die fast so they don't have to pay for atrocities committed? Lock them up, make them work 12 hours a day. Make them suffer every day for the rest of their lives.

 

[JohnBrock]

I think the punishment should fit the crime, regardless of their activities. People plan out insane attacks every day, terroists aren't much different save for doing it for religious reasons.

Capital punishment? No, life-long prison and put to work in some way? Yes.

 

[Rosyrain]

I'm also against the death penalty for terrorists. Isn't that what they want? To die fast so they don't have to pay for atrocities committed? Lock them up, make them work 12 hours a day. Make them suffer every day for the rest of their lives.

Terrorists do want to die for their crimes because they are promised martyrdom and so many virgins when they die for their cause . I think they should be locked away and they thrown out so that they actually do have to live out the rest of their lives. They should even be forced to live longer if ever the means to do that was ever available. Why not let them live a long life in solitude and bordom.

 

[OGRICHBOI]

Although I hate with all my heart, I also do not believe the eye for an eye attitude will solve much. However, a population of the USA do believe this idea to be the only way to get revenge. Hatred has corrupted man, and I try to stay positive in most situations. Terrorists do however, need punishment for the hurt they dish out.

 

[missbishi]

I'm against the death penalty under any circumstance. Terrorists should be sentenced to life in prison and be put to work doing something that will benefit the country. I imagine being forced to do something that benefits American society would be the most shameful punishment possible for them.

 

[mrsbright]

Terrorists do want to die for their crimes because they are promised martyrdom and so many virgins when they die for their cause . I think they should be locked away and they thrown out so that they actually do have to live out the rest of their lives. They should even be forced to live longer if ever the means to do that was ever available. Why not let them live a long life in solitude and bordom.

I think you got the word terrorism confused with "Muslim extremist/kamikaze" here.

A terrorist is someone who spreads terror outside of war conditions. They are not just Muslims. They are any kind of people. I don't know specifically about the US, because I don't live there, though we do hear about failed bomb attempt from racist people too, but in Canada, terrorists are also federalist terrorist and in France, the most terror attacks are from people from Corse. To confuse the word "terrorism" with "Islam" is just pushing for the misunderstanding and the hatred to grow. Not doing any good.

Now, to the original question:

No.

I never believe in the capital punishment. A

Also, a lot of terrorists are misguided youth who get swayed into a movement who make nice promises and make them feel important. In a way, it's like saying that every fool who falls for a sect and acts on it/ tries to act on it (since many terrorist plots are foiled) should be killed.

I think that, on the contrary, they should be kept alive and made to see the error of their ways. Not becoming figureheads to encense the people standing on their side (martyrs). The terrorist act is a way to an end, an action they choose to do to enact their ideology. They should not be killed; they should be sentenced to jail with counseling and maybe even special work/reeducation programs.

Killing them is only going to make the problem grow and get infected.

 

[shilpa123]

There must be a punishment for all kinds of terrorism. It is best if they are given a capital punishment. I do believe that one must be structured about all the terrorism involved activity.

 

[Profit5500]

My view on this changes with the seasons. I'm not a fan of "an eye for an eye" in principle. It's just not the way I grew up seeing the world. But you do hear about so many horrible and hideous atrocities that it's not hard to find yourself shaped by different thinking.

What about you? How do you see the debate?

Terrorists are complete wackos and they would not rest until they get what they want. I feel that if they show no remorse then they would not get any in return.

 

[jeremy2]

Terrorists deserve much worse than just capital punishment. They commit heinous crimes and kill innocent people all in the name of religion. That is just too bad.They deserve the firing squad or getting shot on sight.

 

[jesuslover0314]

I personally believe that terrorists want to die anyway, because that's just what most of them believe they should do. So why would you want to go ahead and kill them when that is what they already want? Why not make them suffer and work hard on the things we need most? Apologize to the families of those in which they killed, etc.

 

[JoanMcWench]

This question has a lot of nuances. Snowden is considered a 'terrorist' in the states so would he also be considered under this idea? I'm not behind capitol punishment at all but in playing Devil's advocate here I'm still stumped because it kind of depends on who is defining the word 'terrorist' & why.

 

[mrsbright]

This question has a lot of nuances. Snowden is considered a 'terrorist' in the states so would he also be considered under this idea? I'm not behind capitol punishment at all but in playing Devil's advocate here I'm still stumped because it kind of depends on who is defining the word 'terrorist' & why.

For even more perspective, in Canada, environmentalists and scientists have been called terrorists, too...

 

[Onionman]

This question has a lot of nuances. Snowden is considered a 'terrorist' in the states so would he also be considered under this idea? I'm not behind capitol punishment at all but in playing Devil's advocate here I'm still stumped because it kind of depends on who is defining the word 'terrorist' & why.

That is very true. It's far more nuanced than I explained. I guess I was thinking/grouping more in terms of people committing Jihadist terrorist acts, killing innocent people. But that again is the prism I'm viewing the world through, and my view of "innocent". One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

 

[Onionman]

I personally believe that terrorists want to die anyway, because that's just what most of them believe they should do. So why would you want to go ahead and kill them when that is what they already want? Why not make them suffer and work hard on the things we need most? Apologize to the families of those in which they killed, etc.

That's another reason for not allowing them to die. You don't want to encourage martyrdom. It's been sold to many extremists as a reason for committing atrocities. It's about starving them of their reason of being.

 

[jesuslover0314]

That's another reason for not allowing them to die. You don't want to encourage martyrdom. It's been sold to many extremists as a reason for committing atrocities. It's about starving them of their reason of being.

Yes why not make them work in the fields or something. Force them to do things they do not want to do. Like sing the national anthem on national TV?

 

[GlacialDoom]

While I think that they should be punished for their crimes, I don't think there should be capital punishment for them. It would do greater justice to keep them locked up. If we would kill them, they would come off as "martirs" for their "cause" and we wouldn't be any better than them.

 

[goldenmaine]

I am torn between having it implemented and not. When I see the news about how these terrorists are causing massive casualties including innocent women and children being killed, I am so frustrated that I want them to be pay through capital punishment. I just can’t seem to accept that they are alive while the families of those died because of the attacks are suffering. But there is still a part of me that thinks their lives should not be controlled by us, since they are also human and punishment by death is equivalent to murder. I guess it depends in the country if they are going to implement it or not.

 

[stevesxs9]

I have no problem with the death penalty and obviously the criminals who commit murder have no problem with it either. I've never seen the benefit of people spending years in prison, only to get out on parole and have the chance to do it again. As far as the terrorists are concerned, I believe if this constitutes an act of treason for any Country involved, then I believe the terrorists in question should be executed.