RE: Hey Steemit Libertarians, I debated the death penalty with a conservative...
Well this guy is obviously not a libertarian. Republican, definitely, not a libertarian.
We are born with certain rights that are not granted by any government. We are living, therefor we have the right to live. Doesn't matter what we do, that is inherent in just the act of BEING.
He even makes it clear that it's a "principled stance", A.K.A. not founded in any rational or logical thought, but just on "principle". What's the principle? That governments have the right to exterminate the people they were entrusted to protect?
It's absurd to think that any institution can take your life for any reason. Once an institution is given the power to take your life for reasons they deem fit, where does that end?
EDIT
"Society has the right to remove people permanently"... Is this guy serious? Honestly, this sounds like he ripped a page right out of the playbook of Stalin. It's insane.
EDIT
"It's the right of the government to kill terrible people"
........I just can't.
First of all, the government has no rights. People have rights. Animals have rights. Living, breathing entities have rights. The government is an institution created by people, not the other way around. The government has powers that are entrusted to it, one of which is to protect the people it governs. Another is to ensure our rights are protected. One of those rights is the right to LIFE. Period.
Lmao, I got down voted? Seriously? For just saying my opinion?
Welcome to the internet
That's the old internet... It's detrimental to an account's health and reputation to go around and randomly downvote people because you disagree with what they say. That will, eventually, cause your account to be flagged.
I was more joking than serious.
Ahhh my bad, lol
I might have downvoted you, I'm new and was trying to upvote. I didn't know downvoting was an option on this platform.
After being convicted of a crime that warrants the death penalty by a jury of their peers and granted an appeals process that can last up until the moment they are executed. You make it sound as if the American government wantonly executes people like a communist country.
Maybe not wantonly but they are not above or too good to make it impossible. I assume you feel that US State would not do atrocity to their own kids? If so you'd be wrong. I am less certain about federal level but lower levels seem to act and do what they think they can get away with. I would have doubted this was possible and it was being done to me. Problem is they self incriminate. So...
Given our genocide of the First Nations People and the extra-judicial execution via drone during the Obama administration no I do not assume that the US couldn't but the fact is that they haven't at least not in the manner you are describing.
That is a function of power. Look at the #MeToo movement. Every single one of those accused did what they did because they thought they could get away with it.
All that was done to me is done extra judicially. And I held positions of trust working for State.
Point is FBI is involved in this also, NY State Police, they have relations with my parents, children are missing, clergy and doctors are involved, so is Canada, an FBI issue for sure now.