Moussaoui Should Not Die

[Jocko]

Also, I think Crazy Glue would work better than duct-tape. It'd be cheaper too. Remember, death penalty opponents are always complaining about how much it actually costs over the long run. Keep your eye on saving the pennies and the dollars will come don't you know.

Yeah, but you can re-use duct tape.

 

[Jocko]

I consider taking pleasure in the pain of another to be sadistic under any circumstances, which is what I see here. Moussaoui no doubt deserves whatever level of punishment the law ultimately decides to impose on him, but that's no justification for our sinking to his level of bloodlust.

And what level of "pain" will Moussaoui endure, even under the worst possible execution scenario?

 

[Mephisto]

[*]If so, what do you consider to be a punishment that is at once harsh, but not sadistic?[/LIST]

Life in prison with a daily ride through the streets of Bagdhad wearing a rainbow-colored "fro," gigantic clown shoes and a pink tutu.

 

[JamesDillon]

If you're saying that it's a shame that there are those of us who get a visceral pleasure at the prospect of his being punished harshly, well, you can't argue with viscerae.

No, it does not ennoble us, it does not reflect the better angels of our nature. But there it is, nonetheless, the ugly side of every one of us that takes a grim pleasure in seeing terrible pain inflicted on those who do us grievous harm.

Fortunately, we have laws that stand between our viscerae and those we would punish. Otherwise, Moussaoui would be facing a far more gruesome death than he will likely get.

An eloquent post. I agree; you can't argue with viscerae, but you don't have to indulge in their expression, either. I don't think that any benefit can come from legitimizing the violent impulses of human nature in any case; the popular conception of moral desert which holds that the infliction of injury on "bad" people is a good or desirable thing only perpetuates the problem. That's not to say that society is not justified in inflicting pain, injury, or death on individuals in order to preserve the peace (although I'm concededly not crazy about the death penalty), but this should be viewed as an unfortunately necessary evil rather than a positive good. You're right that the law strives to do this, but when the interpretation and execution of the criminal law is done (as often seems to be the case) from a postition of visceral rage or desire for vengeance, the system can fail to ensure that the penalties imposed are for the protection of society rather than the pursuit of some private (or, as in this case, public) vendetta.

 

[mumblethrax]

There's more than the law standing between the world and my viscera (it's already pluralized), there's also the skin I'm in.

 

[JamesDillon]

There's more than the law standing between the world and my viscera (it's already pluralized).

So it is. D'oh! Neuter plural, not feminine singular.

 

[BPSCG]

Whatever. Visceras, viscerii...

 

[shemp]

If so, what do you consider to be a punishment that is at once harsh, but not sadistic?

Two weeks in a Poconos honeymoon suite with a lovestruck Sylvia Browne. But they already did this on The Man Show.

 

[Beerina]

I've never understood why so many people think that the death penalty is a worse punishment than life without parole. If I murdered someone, I would rather be put to death soon than spend maybe as many as 50 years rotting in a cell in a pound-me-in-the-ass prison.

Ya know, whenever "Shemp" says something gross like this, I can't help but get hideous, retina-burning images in my mind. Shemp getting pounded in the ass in a prison.

Therefore, you deserve the following. Imagine that, then listen to poor Shemp as he's attacked.

May you rot in hell.