[RalphyS]

If the death penalty worked as a deterrent far less murders would have to happen in countries that have the death penalty than in those that don't.

Guess what, that isn't the case, it's rather the opposite. Compare the murder rate of the US per capita with that for Canada for instance, or even that of states in the USA with or without the death penalty. The function of the death penalty as a deterrent simply does not work.

And to be honest, I personally would rather die quickly than spent the rest of my life locked up in jail. It always amazes me how people think how easy it is to be in jail, room and food provided by the government they state, the easy life. Well, I would suggest you try jail for a week and see if you still think it's a piece of cake.

And sure, Saddam broke the law in the most cruel way and he does deserve to be punished, lock him up and throw away the key. I just think the message put out there is wrong, killing people is wrong and therefore he needs to be punished, but wait a minute, if the state kills, doesn't it do the same thing? Yeah, but he deserves it. When Saddam was in power, he too believed they deserved it!

The death penalty is like beating children, who didn't listen. It told you not to fight, kaboom!

I know the story about an eye for an eye, but isn't there also a story about turning the other cheek and isn't there also something about "thou shalt not kill" and not "thou shalt not kill, except for killers".