In article ,
Richard Casady wrote:

On Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:52:39 +0200, Marc Heusser
d wrote:

I believe it would be a strong signal for human rights to abolish
capital punishment in the US, as in any other country.

Piracy is Federal, but there never has been much Federal death
penalty. Maybe thirty in 80 years. One hanging in Iowa in 1962, and
McVeigh who bombed that Federal Bldg. There was a soldier who hosed a
formation of marching men with a M-16 on death row. I don't know if
they have killed him yet. There are a few others waiting. They have
recently built a Federal death facility, they had been having the
nearest state kill people.


Still, many states in the US have death penalty:
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/FactSheet.pdf
3300 current inmates, 20 executiony this year up to now, more than half
of it in Texas.

It would help criticise governments such as China, where executions
abound, or islamistic states, if the US decided to abolish death penalty
altogether. There are good arguments against capital punishment in a
democratic state.

Do not get me wrong: In actual danger I'd value a hostage's life higher
than a pirate's anytime - and it is the pirate that provoked this.

I do hope Switzerland decides to send some elite troups to protect ships
as well.

Marc

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