Is the Death Penalty Ever Moral? | 5 Minute Video
Are there circumstances under which a murderer deserves the death penalty? In other words, should capital punishment be abolished or not? Dennis Prager explains.
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Script:
There are almost no issues where I don’t understand both sides: taxation, the size of government, abortion, socialism, capitalism. As strongly as I feel about any issue, I understand the opposition.
But there is an exception: the death penalty for murder. Here, the gulf is unbridgeable between those of us who believe that some murderers – and I emphasize some murderers – should be put to death and those who believe that no murderer should ever be put to death.
Take this example:
On the afternoon of July 23, 2007, in the town of Cheshire, Connecticut, two men broke into the home of Dr. William Petit, his wife Jennifer and his two daughters. The men beat Dr. Petit nearly to death with a baseball bat; one of the men raped the doctor’s wife; and the other man sexually assaulted their 11 year-old daughter, Michaela. The two men then strangled Mrs. Petit to death, tied down the two daughters on beds, doused them with gasoline, and, while the girls were still alive, set the house on fire. Dr. Petit survived, but his wife and daughters did not.
Those opposed to capital punishment believe that these two men have a right to keep their lives. So, is there anything a person can do to deserve the death penalty? To those opposed to capital punishment, the answer is no. In fact, many opponents of capital punishment believe that killing murderers is the same as murder. You heard me right – most opponents equate the murder of an innocent family with putting the murderers of that family to death.
Opponents of capital punishment also argue that keeping all murderers alive sanctifies the value of human life. But the opposite is true. Keeping every murderer alive cheapens human life because it belittles murder. That’s easily proven. Imagine that the punishment for murder were the same as the punishment for driving over the speed limit. Wouldn’t that belittle murder and thereby cheapen human life? Of course, it would. Society teaches how bad an action is by the punishment it metes out.
And what about the pain inflicted on the loved ones of those murdered? For most people, their suffering is immeasurably increased knowing that the person who murdered their family member or friend – and who, in many cases, inflicted unimaginable terror on that person – is alive and being cared for.
Of course, putting the murderer to death doesn’t bring back their loved one, but it sure does provide some sense of justice. That’s why Dr. Petit, a physician whose life is devoted to saving lives, wants the murderers of his wife and daughters put to death. In his words, death “is really the only true just punishment for certain heinous and depraved murders.” Is the doctor wrong? Is he immoral? Well, if you think capital punishment is immoral, then Dr. Petit is immoral.
And what about opponents’ argument that an innocent person may be executed? This argument may be sincerely held, but it’s not honest. Why? Because opponents of capital punishment oppose the death penalty even when there is absolute proof of the murderer’s guilt. If there were a video of a man burning a family alive, opponents of capital punishment would still oppose taking that man’s life.
For the complete script, visit https://www.prageru.com/videos/death-penalty-ever-moral
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Prager U: Big government is bad and can’t be trusted to make the right decisions.
Also Prager U: The government should be given the power to kill its citizens.
Quelle surprise, US conservatives are hypocrites.
Also the government can decide on whether people can have abortions or try to deny certain groups from marrying.
In short, conservatives are cvnts.
Interesting. I was under the impression that you guys thought all lives mattered, considering the depths you’ll go to ensure that unborn lives are protected.
Yes, why?
never heard of dignity or ?
simply untrue. new testament says leaave God to decide who gets to live and die. but then again you're a jew
Did Joshua even light the match?
Saying that something is virtually impossible means that in effect and for all practical purposes, it can't be done, though it may technically be possible.
Virtually: almost entirely : NEARLY. The project is virtually complete. Virtually every applicant was overqualified for the job. b. : for all practical purposes.
This nonsense that having a video of a crime is the ultimate proof and that trumps everything, is just that, nonsense.
Some years ago in the UK, a crime was committed and caught on cctv. Witnesses were also able to give a very good description of the perpetrator, even down to a gap in his front teeth. A man fitting the description, who pleaded his innocence, was caught and charged with the crime. Some weeks later, another man was apprehended for a similar crime. He looked almost identical, even down to the gap in his teeth. He was ultimately found to be guilty.
Timothy Evans, a simple minded man, was hanged for the murder of his wife and child in the UK. He turned out to be innocent. This was one of many miscarriages of justice in the UK, culminating in state execution.
Now, this argument that you can have a death penalty for certain crimes and not others, say life imprisonment for manslaughter and death for murder, doesn't work either. Is getting in a car drunk and killing someone by crashing into them murder or manslaughter?
No, the best way is no discretion. Mandatory life sentences for taking someone's life. If that person turns out to be innocent, release him. There is no resolving executing someone by mistake.
Joe arridi's cade showed us why death penalty is bad idea
I have a lot of arguments opposed to capital punishment.
For one, Is capital punishment not an easy way out?
Wouldn't the heinous criminal be better off rotting in their prison cell, and living with the guilt of their crime for the rest of their isolated life?
What if the family of the victim is christian or a buddhist? Would they not feel guilty for being behind the murder of anyone, whether or not they are a criminal?
You also gave no facts and statistics in your argument, providing no credibility. I do of course agree with you on a lot of things! Sure, society will be protected and that is a very good point, but you can't just not consider the other side.
Also, studies consistenly find that the death penalty is more expensive than other options.
These people claim to care more about facts and logic rather than feelings but then say its okay to execute someone soley because they made people sad.
Many of those that abhor the death penalty are strangely not bothered by proclaiming open season on babies in their mother’s womb. As to the death penalty and punishment in general King Solomon stated it well:
“Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”
Ecclesiastes 8:11 (NKJV)
"The one of you who is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone…" – The Bible. I guess he did not read the books of all religions.
As for DNA testing here is an example where it could be wrong: 3 people are walking on the street. One pulls out a knife on the other two. He stabs the first but the second manages to disarms him. The killer then runs away. The police arrive and find the one who fought the murderer with the murder weapon with the victim's DNA on it. In this situation there in no way to prove that there was a third person with them because the killer wore gloves, leaving no fingerprints on the knife, and all other DNA found at the scene could be from anyone since a lot of people walk on the street. 30 years later the real killer gets drunk and starts telling the people at the bar how he got away with the murder. They call the police and he is arrested. The innocent man is: a) released and financially compensated for the 30 years he spent in prison b) dead because people like the man in this video wanted the death penalty for murderers.
If the life of even 1 innocent is expendable for the greater good, then so should the lives of the people who got the innocent killed by supporting the death penalty should be. They are after all the ones who got the innocent killed.
Life in prison is already a slow death penalty if you think about it. Also prisons aren't the 5 star hotels some claim to be. Some would even want to be executed than spending the rest of their lives in prison.
The money spent to keep murderers in prison is in fact spent to keep the innocent from being executed so it is worth the price since no amount of money could buy the innocent's life back.
AALLLLL Murder…..Is Killing……BUT….!!!
NOT ALLLLL Killing…..IS MURDER…..!!!!
GOD….Is a STAUNCH ADVOCATE OF THE DEATH PENALTY…….!!!! BECAUSE HE….
INCORPORATED IT IN THE BIBLE….!!!!
An eye for an eye makes the world blind
Ok, but who should have the power to give the death penalty? The victims, or the State? Personnaly, i believe it is the victims families who should have the right to decide weither to give the death penalty or not. The State would enventually use that power to silences its opponents.
PRAGERU!!!!!
Th is not a strong video, since, while picking off the vapidness of his opponent's arguments, his own are mainly based on emotional appeals.
All I know is that everyone will be judged when they stand before the Lord. Eventually justice will have its day.
Punishment based law is not "justice" it's vengance.
I support the death penalty, but also feel it is over prescribed. The death penalty for one murder, seems to “eye for an eye” to me. That said, life without parole (hard without) is under prescribed. I also think a death penalty case must require indisputable forensic evidence, not just witness testimony.
Vengeance is mine, thus saith the lord. He will repay.
"Where in a holy book does it say that only God has the right to take life?"
Umm, I think "thou shall not murder" qualifies. Pretty clear and simple
In Islam it’s okay to kill by law or self defense
I oppose the death penalty, so I guess Dennis Prager doesn't understand me.
thino about it this way if theres a dangerous person you have tried to rehabilitate them but nothing is working hes still a threat and will probably do it again what else are you going to do with him
What you speak of is revenge, not justice
An eye for an eye? Those who are without sin throw the first stone? Love your enemies? forgive those who trespass against us?
The death penalty is not supported in Christianity. That much is obvious.
Never protect criminals from justice
After six years, I don't trust the government to decide who lives and who dies. Also, although deeply upsetting to me and giving all my condolences to victim's relatives, it is not mine issue to decide either. The relatives shall decide.
ever heard of the catholic church?
Yes and I am tired of pretending it isn't
Ted Bundy. I think he foreited his right to life. There must be standards in life, things we all know YOU JUST DON'T DO EVER. It's not revenge. It's justice. If you disagree with that it means you would have gladly let the Nazis at Nuremberg see out their days in Spandau Prison.
Giving the government that much power is not anti big government. People get things wrong, they lie, police have reason to get through murder cases as quickly as possible because it quells public uproar so police have been known to plant evidence because it calms the public and it closes the case, this doesn’t always happen but when it does it always results in a innocent person dying. Police rushing and getting things wrong is why it takes years to put someone to death.
What is strange about us in the UK is that traditionally support for a death penalty was based on class. Those of the lower classes have always supported the death penalty and those who oppose it tend to be the middle class. One argument is that it's not a deterrent, but it certainly deters me. I believe in the death penalty but it should be very hard to carry out, I think that is the true torture, being held on death row: will they or won't they?
I dont see any logical argument on the video, but everythign based on sceneries which are expected to provoke to the viewer intense emotions to cloud their judgement.
It's immoral. You're deciding whether a human being will keep living or not, neglecting their humanity and their potential for growth. And those who advocate the death penalty as "punishment"… I don't want to start imagining how they punish their kids.
In life… we've all done wrongdoings. Is it worth to get a life sentence or be executed over mistakes?
"Yeah, but what if they commit the crime again", jail. They'll go to jail and have their lifespam reduced again for their wrongdoing. And if we wish to make rehab better, than states should focus on what's the main driving force which push people to commit crimes. It should be also noted, that "rapists" were jailed because of fraud; minors had lied about their age in let's say an nsfw groupchat. Is is "moral" to throw those people on jail or execute them?
Uvalde school shooting
Nineteen children and two adults were killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24, 2022. It is the deadliest shooting ever at a Texas public school. Nuff said….
I beleve that death would be a release compared to prison especially those 2 people in the example
Is the death penalty moral are you kidding , is murdering some one or more moral . Get your head out of your asses , murderers will never change so the chance of release when not put to death will and could happen , and then to have them murder again is unspeakable . It makes me sick when people debate against the death penalty . Murder is a crime which destroys not only the victims life but every one elses life involved as family . Why is it okay to take an innocent persons life but it isnt ok to take a murderers life. I say the only ones that can stop the death penalty to carry on is the immediate family . If a person is given the death penalty then only the family can push for the person not to be put to death. But a judge can express that it needs to be carried out because this person is a repeat murderer or very dangerous person . And this person needs to have zero opertunity to ever hurt someone again. See its easy to say the death is wrong when you have never had to deal with a child being raped then murdered or any family member. I believe that showing compassion for the murderer is showing no compassion for the victim or there family. And no murderer deserves compassion. So in some ways i believe that those people against the death penalty are mentally a little screwed up in the head themselves. And dont involve God because really how do you know if God wouldnt want this person put to death. He does say , thou shall not take another humans life , so God could be thinking that how dare you take my creations life.
If a government is just, the death penalty is just…..but what if the government is not just?… ive been conflicted about this subject for years.
Mistakes will always happen, but that still should not affect whether or not the death penalty should be legal or not!!!!!!!!🇺🇲🦅✝️🇺🇲✝️🦅🇺🇲✝️🦅🇺🇲✝️🦅🇺🇲✝️🦅🇺🇲✝️🦅
Or instead we could get rid of prisons and police while funding mental health and drug services while funding education and just giving everyone a 1000 dollars monthly so they dont have to worry about food. And deterrence has not been shown to work and capital punishment brings less closure to family's then rehabilitation. Thou shalt not murder btw🤷♂️
I'm against the death penalty, but mostly because I think it's not a harsh enough punishment for truly evil people