Poll: The Bali Bombers

[ultra_v_89]

EDIT: Shit, sorry guys, I hit the enter button by accident.
Okay, so this is similar to the whole death penalty argument however, with case in point being the Bali bombers. After murdering inoccent people and now facing the prospect of execution, they are appealing that being shot to death is torture. I would retort that such an act is merciful in face of what they did to the victims and families of the bombings. However, I am yet to decide whether this will deter or incite further attacks, so what are your thoughts, should they be executed or not?

 

[Uskis]

I don't think they should be executed. I'm not a fan of death penalty, and the problem with executing islamic terrorist, is that they get the martyr-status by the rest of the tosser terrorist crew. Let them rot in jail instead.

 

[rossatdi]

Personally I don't like the death penalty. I think a civilisation is measured by how it treats those it has its mercy. Turning the other cheek in the case of just horror is a mark of a great and merciful state.

However, I completely accept that this is my own opinion and that the government of the country feels that they should be executed. I'm not a rabid anti-death penalty person, I think that's stupid - it is a difficult decision.

The recent news story when they were complaining about the method of their execution? Hell no, I think shot to death is probably as good as you can expect for wiping out innocent people. I often think the punishment in their situation would be to leave them in a room with members of the families of the victims with a complete legal-free zone for say 5 hours. Also the family members can request any implements they wish.

 

[Amnestic]

On the one hand I'm a fan of the "rot in jail" approach to things where they're actually suffering from being in prison.

On the other hand, keeping people in prison sucks up tax money and shooting them is only the cost of a single bullet per person.

Eh, let 'em rot. Two meals of bread and water a day in a shithole cell, perhaps they'll regret what they actually did.

Also:
torture
?noun
1. the act of inflicting excruciating pain, as punishment or revenge, as a means of getting a confession or information, or for sheer cruelty.

A shot to the head doesn't count as 'excruciating pain'. Not the kind anyone gets to tell us about anyway. I don't think they can plead firing squad=torture.

Well, assuming the firing squad hit them in the head and not in the testicles or something.

 

[Mortimas IV]

Ideally, the death penalty is a deterrent. Fatal punishments were instituted in order to frighten any future opposition through verbal - sometimes visual - demonstrations of the consequences. If viewed as an objective and isolated case, the death penalty might not be the most effective punishment technique, especially if future attacks would be provoked as a result of such executions. However, if any government begins approaching the death penalty as a potentially lenient case-by-case punishment system, then an previously concrete justice system becomes less daunting to potential threats.

Basically, I'm glad I don't have to make that call.

 

[rossatdi]

Ideally, the death penalty is a deterrent.

Which causes the obvious problem with religious fundamentalists who think they're going to heaven!

 

[Jaythulhu]

I think they should be booted out of the muslim faith first, like a christian excommunication (if there is such a thing), then dragged out and shot in the back of the head. None of that semi-dignified crap for them. Perhaps afterwards their heads can be stuck on pikes dark ages style so visiting aussies can throw rocks at them.

 

[ultra_v_89]

I played for the Kingsley Football Club, a club that lost players in the first bombing. In this case, I don't think executing can really be martyrdom because they are appealing against it (unless they drop a live 'nade when they're gunned down). Can they be reluctant martyrs? Initially they seemed they would welcome the death penalty to further their 'cause', now it appears they are frightened. Also, I'm spending two weeks in Bali in 5 weeks so I'm sorta hoping the decision is made soon, that way any crap thats pulled would hopefully blow over (NO PUN INTENDED).

 

[Saskwach]

Ideally, the death penalty is a deterrent.

Which causes the obvious problem with religious fundamentalists who think they're going to heaven!

That's what the bombers were saying at first; now they're quite sure they don't want to die. It's funny how convictions buckle when it's your own life on the line.
I don't like the death penalty but I'm Australian, and don't have enough sympathy left for these f***ers.

 

[PurpleRain]

I'm not a huge fan of the death penatly, but I couldn't give a toss about those who decided they were going to blow up a club full of touring backpackers and such. Whatever happens to them isn't my concern. Let the judge have his say.

 

[Ultrajoe]

I am always against the death penalty. Its times like this, when i do feel they should be gutted for their crimes, that it could be abused.

Me wanting to kill them, and them deserving to die, are different things.

 

[Hydrus]

The death penalty is one of the least effective, horribly outdated and morally reprehensibe policies a civillised government can have. It does not solve any issues, it only creates more grief in the world.

The Australian government is anti-death penalty, but is remaining relativelty silent on this issue. It's hypocritical, but they don't want to lose votes. Politicians, eh?