Thanks, everyone, for a great class discussion today - I hope you found it as interesting and thought-provoking as I did!
When I read over the handout with information about the death penalty, here are some of the facts and ideas that I found surprising:
- that the death penalty is so much more expensive than putting a convicted murder in jail for the rest of his/her life (according to the handout, California tax payers pay as much as $114 million per year MORE than the cost of life-long incarceration).
- that the death penalty appears to be applied in such a biased, discriminatory manner (according to the handout, in California convicted murderers are three to four times more likely to be sentenced to death if their victims are white than if their victims come from other ethnic groups or nationalities).
- that the death penalty appears NOT to be an effective deterrent for criminals (according to the handout, the Southern region of the United States has the highest murder rate AND the greatest percentage of executions out of any other region in the nation; the Northeastern region of the United States has the lowest murder rate AND the smallest percentage of executions out of any other region in the nation).
So now, the next question I am wondering about is as follows:
Did watching the movie Dead Man Walking cause you to change or reconsider your ideas about capital punishment (in the U.S. and/or in your home country)? Why or why not?
Using the 'Comment' function on this post, please write a short paragraph that describes and explains at least one thing or fact you learned from reading the handout. We will begin our class on Wednesday by transitioning towards talking about romantic movies and what makes a good love story, so please make sure to write your comment BEFORE then.
Thant is surprising that putting a murder in jail is more expensive that the death penalty. Then, I got one more reason that I oppose to death penalty.
ReplyDeleteActually, my mind was not changed after watching Dead Man Walking. I am still on opposing side of death penalty. While I watched it, I did not feel good at 2 points in executing scene. First one is the victim’s family was watching the execution, as I mentioned on previous post. And second one is ‘Dead Man Walking’ what prison officer was yelling to condemned criminal. Even though he was a cruel murderer, I think that his last human right has to be respected because human becomes weak in the face of death.
Also, it is not good at victim’s family because they would suffer from the fact they were involved to kill another life.
i was a supprise about death penalty. i think United States is a free country.so there is no death penalty. i don't like death penalty. i think that is cruel, no human rights. just like the movie. I think criminals should be respected, not like there are people watching like this movie. It was bad. so i think death penalty should be prohibit.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I agree with you that the death penalty appears NOT to be an effective deterrent for criminals in America. Accordingb to the movie in the end part, after they killed the man, there still have same thing happen. I am so glad it is different in my hometown. People usually not murder or illegal thing, if someone murder people, they will use capital punishment to this guy. People afraid death, so criminals decrease after we have capital punishment. Secondly, 35 states use death penalty in U.S. maybe is right, they will save money to feed them in prison, also they are educate to people. Lastly, I know some of people still racialism in U.S. I like watch American TV shows, sometimes they realted to racism. According to handout, it told us that the death penalty appears to be applied in such a biased, discriminatory manner, especially some case about white victim.
ReplyDeleteFor me, after I watch the movie, I think use shots to kill murderer is a good way. It is not popular in China, we usually shoot murderer, also murderer need pay fee for pistol bullet. It is not bad to murderer's family and killer who responsibllty to kill murderer. Kill people use shoot is so blood, change to use shoot is better. In the present, the government start to use shots kill murderer in China. I this is a good way to deal with death panalty.
The only thing that surprised me is that death penalty has discriminatory manner. I thought that discrimination in the US is rareness and laws are more humane.
ReplyDeleteWatching the movie Dead Man Walking didn't change my opinion about death penalty, I still against it. But this movie made me to appreciate life more and enjoy it everyday, because it can be interrupted at any time.
not really....I think in certain countries, death panelty is still required because of the rate of committing crimes. I personally think that judge can sentence a criminal for death panelty more discreetly so that the controversy might be less.
ReplyDeleteAfter I watched the Dead Man Walking, there is nothing changed. First of all, I against capital punishement at all. It is too unbelievable to take a live because they made a mistake. Everybody should have a chance to appeal.if someone got a missunderstand, they can explain and make other know the truth. But, It may take a long time to show the thrth to people. So if there is capital punishment, people won't have enough time to collect avident.
ReplyDeleteI used to have very strong opinion about Death Penalty which i was totally disagree. although the director seems that he disagree the penalty because i felt sympathetic with the murder in the ending, i started to think that the victim and victim's family are also very pool because if it was happened to me, i would become enraged extremely. thus, i am very confused about my opinion. as a result, i would say that i am neutral now.
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ReplyDeleteI still can not agree with the death penlty, because I think it is so cruel for crimer and crimer's family, although he did a lot of wrong things, but maybe one day he will be awake, we should give a chance to him. However, I have same feeling with Sun. After watching this movie, I also felt the feeling from victim's family. They are so poor and depressed. During the group discussing, Slava asked me if the victim was my family, what would I do. And I suddenly thought I can not forgive the victim forever too. It is very difficult to decide which side is more worth to consider. So I think maybe that is why the problem of death penalty is always be debated. I hope people can find the better way for each side in the future.
ReplyDeleteAfter I watched "Dead Man Walking", it change my opinion of Capital Punishment. In the movie, even Matthew still need to accept Capital Punishment in the end of the movie, but at least he finally regreat what he did before was guilty, and he also accept the punishment. But in my opinion, Capital Punishment is not a tool to protect people or stop the crime activity, it is more like a tool to help victims revenge to the murder, help the society to revenge the criminals, but it is not a way to make the world peace.
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