The Bali 9 and...

[Zakalwe]

I agree with Gillian.

It's very easy to talk about "choices" for those among us who have no neurological issues and grew up in a stable home with secure attachments.  The ability to make choices is not just down to the knowledge of doing so, but also innate ability, education, development, illness (and side-effects from the drugs used to treat it) etc.

Some people make choices others might see as "bad" - but they key to human compassion is hope for education, growth, redemption and rehabilitation.  The death penalty takes away that hope.

I think that we are in danger of mixing two subjects up. I am vehemently opposed to capital punishment.

However, that shouldn't be mixed up with what someone has done. Indeed discussions about the "why" may even be only considered when debating whether the person spends their time in a prison or a mental hospital. The fact is that the deed was committed and society has a right to be protected from a repeat of the offence. For someone with sociopathic tendencies then this is even more important, as they may not be in full control of their choices.

[Echnaton]

The fact is that the deed was committed and society has a right to be protected from a repeat of the offence.

No doubt.  My concern and the reason I bring the "why" into the discussion is that it is very easy and all too common to judge the "moral" fitness of criminals instead of the intent and severity of their actions.  Moral judgement runs deep in U.S. drug policy and thus by extension, in the drug policy of a number of other countries that cooperate with the U. S. in drug enforcement.  In essence, the US exports a great deal of its law so we can live smugly believing it is someone else that is really the cause of so much of the drug related death and violence, not us.  I again refer to Northern Mexico, the place where the US exports much of the violence that results from its drug laws. 

[Luther]

I really get shirty with people who have anti-US sentiments because it's chique to bad mouth all that is the 'US of A'

There's some lunatic fringe out there that believes that maybe, some small amount of the anti-US sentiment that exists, is actually because the US is doing something to generate it.

Hard to believe people could be that crazy, eh?

[BazBear]

I'm a veteran of the U.S. Army, and a card carrying, firearm owning "proud to be an American" type (even though I'm a liberal that hasn't voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1984). But I guess maybe, just maybe, I have a funny feeling we're not as perfect as some of my fellow Americans seem to think we are. Instead of bitching about the observations of outsiders, maybe more of us should be a bit more introspective. Of course there will be disagreements about what and how to change things, but to pretend there's nothing we can do better is quite frankly silly.

Besides, when you're the big dog on the block, some of the smaller dogs are gonna harp on any faults they perceive. Getting defensive just plays into their hands.