[speaker001:] live in New York and capital punishment is illegal in this state and uh it's just coincidental that that's the way it is but my feelings happen to be that I'm against capital punishment uh and I feel that it's barbaric actually it seems out of date with civilization as
[speaker002:] really even if the the crime is extremely extremely serious
[speaker001:] I think so because I think what we're talking about is is uh life making and life taking decisions and I I don't think any one human being has the right to take away the life of any other human being not that it's a a religious feeling or anything like that but it seems hypocritical to me that we'd say in the case of murder for instance that uh because you took away somebody else's life and because that is so very wrong we are going to take away your life I don't see that that makes any sense really
[speaker002:] well it's not necessarily someone has the right but we do have the responsibility to punish criminals so if some person just blatantly slaughtered painfully killed ten people does he really have the right to continue living and be a burden on society
[speaker001:] I don't think it's a matter of the of the murderer's rights I think it's a matter of our uh penal people's rights and I don't think they have the right to take away a life no I think definitely there should be uh severe punishment uh to deter other people from doing such heinous crimes uh for instance I think life imprisonment should be necessary for anybody who commits any murder of any sort and I also think that uh other things that are currently not legal in the country should be made legal such as putting prisoners to work and making them earn their their pay
[speaker002:] yeah I agree with that part yeah definitely
[speaker001:] but I think life imprisonment is a much better alternative to uh people that perform crimes I think also people that are prone to commit a murder are not going to be deterred by the thought of being put to death I think that if they're uh the sort of mentality that they could do such a thing that it doesn't matter what threat you pose to them that that wouldn't change things as far as what they were capable of doing so I don't see it as much of a deterrent either
[speaker002:] well some criminals would see it as a life in jail doesn't particularly sound too harsh to someone who's been living on the street you know for all his life and then uh jail jail time would seem like uh you know a break or a a paid paid sustenance for the rest of his life
[speaker001:] yeah and I think that's unfortunate that is probably the way it is today and I think that ought to be changed uh I think like I said I think people ought to be made to pay for their stay and not make it pleasant for them I think hard labor should be required even among people that are are are not able
[speaker002:] yeah make it make it harsh as possible
[speaker001:] to perform hard labor you know if they if they died naturally from working then I guess that would be okay because that wouldn't be uh putting anybody to death forcibly
[speaker002:] yeah
[speaker001:] but uh I I can't see I can't see executing people it just seems so barbarous barbaric in these times
[speaker002:] uh well I live in California I'm not really up on it I I think we don't have capital punishment either huh-uh
[speaker001:] in California I I thought there was but I could be wrong
[speaker002:] yeah
[speaker001:] what amazes me is how many people speak out in favor of capital punishment even here in New York people really want to see it uh be put into effect it seems more so than those of us who feel the way I feel uh uh at least are vocal
[speaker002:] well
[speaker001:] saying that no they want things to stay the way they are lot of people want to see capital punishment made legal
[speaker002:] yeah I'm one of those guys
[speaker001:] okay um I guess uh I guess we did what we have to do and I don't see any instructions as far as doing anything else so I uh it's nice talking with you
[speaker002:] okay you too you too bye bye
[speaker001:] okay take care bye