Do you support or oppose capital punishment? Outline the arguments on both sides of the issue

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Few issues inflame Americans’ passions as intensely as capital punishment. The views of both sides, often expressed through references to biblical passages they believe support their respective positions, typically reflect only the religious convictions of supporters and opponents alike, without regard for legal factors. While the “eye for an eye” cry of proponents and the “vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord” chant of dissenters might play well on the six o’clock news, such visceral responses do little to advance reasoned discourse on the issue. Rather, they simply illustrate the sheer emotionalism surrounding the states’ authority to take a human life.
There are a number of arguments for abolishing the death penalty. These include the claim that innocent people have been executed, the lack of proven deterrence, the arbitrary nature of the imposition of the death penalty, discrimination, and the cost to the state.
Conversely, retentionist arguments generally revolve around three main issues. These include just deserts, the revenge/retribution argument, and the protection of society.
Reasoned intellectual debate focused on the legal issues of capital punishment is needed in our society, but unless participants control their emotions, reasoned intellectual debate will be a rare event, indeed.