To Spank or Not to Spank? That is the Question...

I think Shakespeare said it best, "To be or not to be, that is the question." I have never doubted that a persons surroundings influence the type of person that he (or she) will one day become. I also believe genetics play a part in it too (circa 3 years ago, but that's another story). As I interpret Hamlet's timeless question, the question of being or not being __________ is one that needs to be addressed, but more importantly the process of getting to that being or not being is important too. I had an intriguing conversation this morning...

Background to the conversation:
I was minding my own buisness doing my tasks when the subject of debate came up. The conversation was going pretty good. The guy I was having it with was thinking about joining the debate team and was asking what it was like. We then got talking about different issues. I made the comment I am most thankful for which was that I never had to debate against something I believed in (or vice versa). He then started to throw out topics. I gave my opinions. He was respecting them all, then he said Corporal Punishment. I said, "Spanking or Death Penalty?" He replied, "There's a difference?" I said, "Let's explore that shall we?"

Death Penalty (because D comes before S):

SOB (Statement of Belief)
I believe that a person who murders another person deserves to die.

POB (Positives of Belief)
1) Money: Cost of executions are astronomical. So why is this a positive? Because the cost of keeping a prisoner alive is even more. Factor in the following things. 3 square meals a day. Room and board. Exercise equipment. Exercise Yard. Showering/Toiletry needs/maintainence. Guards to watch them. Building maintainence. New buildings (due to overpopulation, especially here in California). Cable (nay, Satellite) TV. Appeals process. Doctor/Dentist, other assorted proffessionals. For the rest of their life. Which do you think is more expensive?
2) Instilled Fear: I know the arguement for this one. The death penalty dosen't really scare people. Let me let you in on a little secret. I know. You're right. For now. But who among us was never over at Johnny's house and he did something wrong, got punished for it and then you and Johnny go over to your house, do the same thing but don't get in trouble (Analogy might work in reverse too). The fact that you got punished in one place and not the other is what takes the fear away. If it was uniform across the country, then it would be a fear to reckon with. Think about. Why is it that criminals run for the state line? To excape the penalty. What if on the other side of the state line the penalty is the same? Also, people have another misconception that the death penalty will instantly cure all crime. I am not one of those people. I believe the Death Penalty will deter future crimes. In my opinion it is like everything else in life. You weigh the costs vs. the benefits of your decision and if the choice is to kill Johnny or not and the benefit is never letting him annoy you again or having your life terminated just you did to him. Well, now there's a decision. Not hmmm... let's see.... No more annoying Johnny, and lifetime in jail with food, TV, exercise.
3) Emotional Closure: I know, two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do. Follow my logic train here. First stop. Someone terminates the life of another person. (Insert train hold-up right here) "Hold yer briches there sonny. That there capitual punishment is termintatin' the life of other fellas too." (That's the mean outlaw guy with the big gun and handkercheif across his mouth so that he could symbolize anyone. I get to be the engineer trying to, and will, stand up for the destination of the passengers) "But Mr. Train-Stopper-Type-Person-Sir, when the government executes capitol punishment, they do so as a system, with checks and balances. Starting with a jury of 12 people, which by the way must be uniformly agreed, a judge presides over that. Then the defendent, if found guilty by all 12 jurors (see Movie 12 Angry Men with Henry Fonda, not Toy Danza) then appeals to the higher court judge. Several times. The point is this is not a one man show." (Evil guy pushes the gun right into my nose and is getting very forceful.) "But you're still killin' the guy." "And you sir, are not listening I am not killing anyone. The government that we established and that has the authority to is doing it." (Outlaw guy is getting mad and is getting really loud and big.) So you admit that there is no difference, they are both killin' people." "Um, no. I don't. There is a significant difference if you kill a person and if the state kills a person. You acted on your own authority making your own rules. The government is acting within a framed set of rules that have already been accepted." (This is where the Mr. Hero-Cowboy-Person shoots the Bad-Robber-Man and I can start the train going again.) You see, when we make the Death Penalty the issue we have a problem, and that problem is that we have a misconstrued focus. The focus should be on the family/loved ones of the person who has died, not on the murderer. Everyone is gung-ho about getting that murder to court and make sure that the "trial of the century" convicts him. (Anti-Death Penalty people) "Look at the grieving family, they lost someone dear to them. Ahhh... Hurray... He's guilty! Congratulations grieving family. The killer is caught. Yeah (insert much rejoicing). Wait, they sentenced him to the death penalty? No, that is wrong. Boo-Boo. Was the jury rigged? Was there illegal obtained evidence? Was the judge biased? Are you sure he's guilty? Quiet grieving family, you don't matter anymore, we need to make sure this guy dosen't die." (Okay, in all fairness, I'm sure no one has ever s a i d that.) You see the focus isn't on the people who need it. It's on the hot topic of the day, it's on whatever fits your agenda. There's your lack of emotional closure. These grieving people are left alone, while the killer of their loved one gets glorified in the media. That is like a robber coming into your home, steals all of your stuff and the governor declares him theif of the year because he broke into your house.

(CSOB) Concluding Statement of Belief
I am not saying kill everyone on death row. I'm not saying kill everyone (that's for you DP will lead to murdering old and poor people). I am saying let the state do it's job. Crime & Evil needs someone/something to fear and right now it does not seem to have anything to fear. We need to not only enable our government to protect us, but we also need to support our government in its decisions. (Now I'm not making a blanket statement here. I'm not for the whole Democrat Big Brother thing. I'm only talking about the Death Penalty here.) After all, if you don't like the death penalty, why do you vote? Why do you live in this country? The age-old-adage. Love it or leave it. Respectfulness or Responselessness.

Sorry... This is unfinished. I'll get to spanking, probably on Saturday.

Have A Nice Day...
ChrisTopher