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the__lord in debate_arena

(Untitled)

Mar 28, 2005 18:06

Debate #4

Home: cargill

Away: princessmerbear

Topic: Death Penalty

Comments 3

The Argument - surprisingly in one post cargill April 1 2005, 09:43:56 UTC

There has been a lot of discussion as of late revolving around the Supreme Court decision to bar the Death penalty from being carried out against minors who commit even the most heinous of crimes. It is my contention that despite the specific opinions and arguments made by certain justices (both for and against the use of the death penalty in these cases) that the death penalty should never be carried out against someone who committed the crime in question while under the age of Eighteen years.It is entirely unethical of us as a nation to hold that those under the age of Eighteen do not possess the capacity nor the understanding to fully enjoy their rights as citizens and yet wish, in certain cases, to consider those same individuals to be treated as adults when we feel it suits us. We must set one standard and stick to it - either those under the age of eighteen are to be protected by all the rights this country has to offer those of full citizenship or they do not. And if we are to restrict their rights (as we do in this country) we ( ... )

Re: The Argument - surprisingly in one post meredith_mae April 2 2005, 05:29:03 UTC

My opponant hit the nail on the head when he claimed that either those under the age of eighteen are to be protected by all the rights this country has to offer those of full citizenship or they are not. Eighteen, in fact, is an abritrary age at which US citizens are afforded most rights. However, although these legal age limits are commonly thought to make one an "adult," they are, in fact, arbitrary. Eighteen has been the age of consent for decades. However, our lifestyle has changed drastically. Years ago, people married early, usually not much past the age of 18. Today, people in their mid-20s still live with their parents. Additionally, people often waited until marriage, or after high school to begin sexual relationships, however, on average, American teens begin having sex now at age 16, and begin sexual activity other than intercourse even earlier. High schoolers under the age of 18 hold after school jobs, often putting more hours towards work and school work than their parents put into their jobs. Many drive, own expensive ( ... )

Re: The Argument - surprisingly in one post cargill April 2 2005, 07:56:07 UTC

If Americans are truly uncomfortable with sentencing their teenagers to lethal injections, perhaps it is time for the United States to review the entire concept of capital punishment, and ask itself why the death penalty seems fair for most of the population, but makes them feel uneasy when it comes to minors.Personally, my objection to the death penalty in these cases has nothing to do with emotion or the need to ‘protect the children’ from what some consider to be a heinous punishment. Rather, as I’ve stated, it’s one that I feel is based upon the rights of the individual and how we rate the maturity of minors. The crimes described by my opponent are certainly terrible indeed, however, as I’ve said, these children should certainly be punished, and strongly punished in this situation. However, if we are to consider them incapable of properly possessing their own full access to the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, then we cannot also consider them capable to fully understand the full breadth and scope of the crimes they’ve ( ... )