From: Abraham Moses Genen (futurist@frontiernet.net)
Date: Sat Jun 21 1997 - 20:11:52 MDT
Mark Grant wrote:
> On Sat, 21 Jun 1997, Tony Hollick wrote:
>
> > It is quite extraordinary that anarchists or libertarians -- of all
> people
> > -- should endorse the death 'penalty.' All this can lead to in
> practice is
> > assassinations and coldly calculated judicial murders by the State.
> Or
> > lynch mobs.
>
> Hardly; in an anarcho-capitalist society you have a choice as to
> whether
> you subscribe to a legal system which allows capital punishment. Since
>
> this may reduce the associated costs of the system many people
> probably
> would. I probably wouldn't, but my decision would depend on the
> difference in price.
>
> > CIA prohibited assassinations for moral and prudential reasons which
>
> > Richard Bissell gives in his autobiography, "Reflections of a Cold
> > Warrior" [Yasle, 1996]. Not least, because it degrades policymaking
> with
> > an 'Off with their head' modality of thought.
>
> And because foreign leaders might then 'bring the war back home' by
> killing US politicians rather than US conscripts.
>
> > [2] It's _unnecessary_: check the murder rates country by country
> and
> > compare them with the execution rates. Supporters would predict an
> iverse
> > correlation: but there is none. In fact, countries with execution
> are
> > frequently _more_ murder-prone.
>
> Or, perhaps, more murder-prone countries are more likely to execute
> criminals in an attempt to reduce the murder rate.
>
> > Every country in Europe is safer than any
> > state in the US, AFAIK.
>
> Not true; several US states are 'safer' (in terms of lower murder
> rates)
> than some European countries. If you're not an inner-city drug dealer
> then
> most US states are comparable to most European countries.
>
> > At the completion of the month, you _have_ to execute the accused
> _even if
> > you believe they're innocent, and you'll destroy the hasppiness of
> others,
> > perhaps deprive the world of irreplaceable talents, and be executed
> > yourself into the bargain.
>
> I suspect the Extropian approach would be to back them up prior to
> execution so that you could reinstate them if you were wrong. Of
> course
> it's far from ideal, but it's better than killing them permanently;
> though
> a smart criminal would back themselves up before undertaking a crime
> just
> in case they're caught.
>
> Mark
>
> |-----------
> -----------------------------------------------------------|
> |Mark Grant M.A., U.L.C. EMAIL:
> mark@unicorn.com |
> |WWW: http://www.unicorn.com/ MAILBOT:
> bot@unicorn.com |
> |----------------
> ------------------------------------------------------|
Dear fellow extropians,
Why is it that I am never amazed at the lengths people go to to
rationalize the taking of another persons life?
Those of us who have been in combat know far too well what taking a life
is all about.
Can we please end this absurd string right here?
Thanks,
A.M. Genen
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