8th Amendment, Cruel and Unusual Punishment; Mass Murderers

[LuckyDuck]

Lol. You can’t take the crazies guns away because of the 2nd , but let’s juts tear up the 8th for fun!

You don't who is or isn't crazy before they become a criminal, they also tend to use explosives, cars, machetes and other weapons besides firearms, and only firearms will suffice to stop these dangerous people.

We know who deserves it after they commit mass murder.

Countries with strong gun control don't have mass killing problems. I'd rather we limit the killings.

Hmmm....
85 died due to being deliberately run down by a truck, while the driver shouted, "Allahu Akhbar," in Nice, France. No guns needed. 22 died from the effects of a "home-made" bomb in Manchester, England. No guns needed. Driver ran down and killed 8, injuring 11 in New York, New York. No guns needed. Improvised bomb with pressure cooker, killed 3 and injured several hundred, with many losing limbs....Boston, Massachusetts. No guns needed. Close to 3,000 people have been estimated to have died in the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and related plane attack.....no guns needed. 202 people killed in Bali...method a improvised bomb. No guns needed. 192 killed and 2,000 injured in homemade bomb explosions, Madrid, Spain. No guns needed. 300+ killed via homemade bomb in truck, Mogadishu, Somalia. No guns needed (even though guns are all over the place there). 52 killed, 700+ injured in London on July 7, 2005 via homemade bombs. No guns needed. Wall Street tavern in 1975, 4 people killed, method, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 7 dead, 48 injured, run over by terrorist driver in London, England. 54+ killed, Gaziantep, Turkey...method, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 40 dead, Moscow, Russia, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 11 dead, 25 injured via homemade bomb. Russia. No guns needed. 2 dead, 52 injured by homemade bomb in Madrid, Spain. No guns needed. 12 dead, 100 injured via homemade bomb in Sri Lanka. No guns needed. 26 dead, 64 injured via homemade bomb in Sri Lanka. No guns needed. 80 dead, 216 injured, again, homemade bombs. Jaipur, India. No guns needed. 40 dead, 100+ injured via homemade bombs, Moscow, Russia. No guns needed. 38 dead, 180 injured via homemade bomb in Russia. No guns needed. 14 dead, 200+ injured via bomb in Belarus. No guns needed. 78 dead, 115 injured via homemade bomb, Mali. No guns needed. 7 dead, 33 injured via car bomb in Mali. No guns needed. 1 dead, 60 injured via homemade bomb in Thailand. No guns needed. 13 dead, 30 injured via bomb in Cameroon. No guns needed. 16 dead, 30 injured via bomb, again in Cameroon. No guns needed. 0 dead and 7 injured in France via motor vehicle attack. I guess his aim was bad. No guns needed. 1 dead, 19 injured via vehicle attack in Virginia. No guns needed. 24 dead 152 injured via vehicle attack, stabbings and a bomb in Catalonia, Spain. No guns needed. 9 dead and 10 injured in Middle School knife attack in China. No guns needed, just sharp implement. 13 dead and 5,500 injured in homemade Sarin gas attack on Japanese subway. No gun needed.
I'm going to cease with these figures (all verifiable). If I had included all the Muslim nations with the few exceptions I put in here, I'd be writing for days (and that's just bombing). Almost all of these countries cited, have strict to no gun ownership policies. In England for example, with the exception of shotguns in rural areas for hunting, people can't own guns. The UK also has laws against carrying sharp implements, yet those with the intent to kill, always find a way and when they make homemade bombs and use trucks and other vehicles, the numbers of deaths can be significant, as seen in Nice, France; one man with one truck and 85 dead. Currently, the London hospitals are being flooded with large numbers of knife attack victims. Bottom line is that there is no such thing as being safe. You could die via a routine motor vehicle accident (no matter how much you think you are in control when behind the wheel, it's an illusion. You have no control over the guy driving towards you or coming up from behind). You could die in your house, where most accidental deaths occur. One location where you are HIGHLY UNLIKELY to be killed in, is school. Every small town, medium sized city or large city has is multiple schools, so you would be more likely to be hit by lightening or die by car accident than killed in a school shooting.
As for here in the US, there are over 300 MILLION "LEGALLY OWNED" guns in the hands of about 90 MILLION PRIVATE CITIZENS. These millions of legal gun owners, myself included, don't....rob banks, stores, et cetera, have absolutely no intention of shooting people, don't home-invade, threaten people with violence, or otherwise burgle places. We fall into the category of sport-shooters at ranges, competition shooters at ranges, hunters, collectors and also have some in case a weapon is needed to defend our loved ones or ourselves. We are also, voters and take our gun ownership and safety seriously. I first used rifles at the age of nine and served in the military. I taught my daughter when she was 10, how to shoot and gun safety and she's a damn good shot now and owns her own weapon. We keep our guns in safes to make it very difficult for burglars to get them. We both have concealed pistol permits and while she only occasionally wears hers, mine is on my hip almost all the time and if I were to see your life in imminent danger and no law enforcement were around, I would assist, with the hope that I wouldn't have to actually shoot someone.
Hmmm. I really had not initially intended to blather on so much, but you get the idea.
I

 

[Marion Morrison]

Lol. You can’t take the crazies guns away because of the 2nd , but let’s juts tear up the 8th for fun!

You don't who is or isn't crazy before they become a criminal, they also tend to use explosives, cars, machetes and other weapons besides firearms, and only firearms will suffice to stop these dangerous people.

We know who deserves it after they commit mass murder.

Countries with strong gun control don't have mass killing problems. I'd rather we limit the killings.

Hmmm....
85 died due to being deliberately run down by a truck, while the driver shouted, "Allahu Akhbar," in Nice, France. No guns needed. 22 died from the effects of a "home-made" bomb in Manchester, England. No guns needed. Driver ran down and killed 8, injuring 11 in New York, New York. No guns needed. Improvised bomb with pressure cooker, killed 3 and injured several hundred, with many losing limbs....Boston, Massachusetts. No guns needed. Close to 3,000 people have been estimated to have died in the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and related plane attack.....no guns needed. 202 people killed in Bali...method a improvised bomb. No guns needed. 192 killed and 2,000 injured in homemade bomb explosions, Madrid, Spain. No guns needed. 300+ killed via homemade bomb in truck, Mogadishu, Somalia. No guns needed (even though guns are all over the place there). 52 killed, 700+ injured in London on July 7, 2005 via homemade bombs. No guns needed. Wall Street tavern in 1975, 4 people killed, method, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 7 dead, 48 injured, run over by terrorist driver in London, England. 54+ killed, Gaziantep, Turkey...method, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 40 dead, Moscow, Russia, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 11 dead, 25 injured via homemade bomb. Russia. No guns needed. 2 dead, 52 injured by homemade bomb in Madrid, Spain. No guns needed. 12 dead, 100 injured via homemade bomb in Sri Lanka. No guns needed. 26 dead, 64 injured via homemade bomb in Sri Lanka. No guns needed. 80 dead, 216 injured, again, homemade bombs. Jaipur, India. No guns needed. 40 dead, 100+ injured via homemade bombs, Moscow, Russia. No guns needed. 38 dead, 180 injured via homemade bomb in Russia. No guns needed. 14 dead, 200+ injured via bomb in Belarus. No guns needed. 78 dead, 115 injured via homemade bomb, Mali. No guns needed. 7 dead, 33 injured via car bomb in Mali. No guns needed. 1 dead, 60 injured via homemade bomb in Thailand. No guns needed. 13 dead, 30 injured via bomb in Cameroon. No guns needed. 16 dead, 30 injured via bomb, again in Cameroon. No guns needed. 0 dead and 7 injured in France via motor vehicle attack. I guess his aim was bad. No guns needed. 1 dead, 19 injured via vehicle attack in Virginia. No guns needed. 24 dead 152 injured via vehicle attack, stabbings and a bomb in Catalonia, Spain. No guns needed. 9 dead and 10 injured in Middle School knife attack in China. No guns needed, just sharp implement. 13 dead and 5,500 injured in homemade Sarin gas attack on Japanese subway. No gun needed.
I'm going to cease with these figures (all verifiable). If I had included all the Muslim nations with the few exceptions I put in here, I'd be writing for days (and that's just bombing). Almost all of these countries cited, have strict to no gun ownership policies. In England for example, with the exception of shotguns in rural areas for hunting, people can't own guns. The UK also has laws against carrying sharp implements, yet those with the intent to kill, always find a way and when they make homemade bombs and use trucks and other vehicles, the numbers of deaths can be significant, as seen in Nice, France; one man with one truck and 85 dead. Currently, the London hospitals are being flooded with large numbers of knife attack victims. Bottom line is that there is no such thing as being safe. You could die via a routine motor vehicle accident (no matter how much you think you are in control when behind the wheel, it's an illusion. You have no control over the guy driving towards you or coming up from behind). You could die in your house, where most accidental deaths occur. One location where you are HIGHLY UNLIKELY to be killed in, is school. Every small town, medium sized city or large city has is multiple schools, so you would be more likely to be hit by lightening or die by car accident than killed in a school shooting.
As for here in the US, there are over 300 MILLION "LEGALLY OWNED" guns in the hands of about 90 MILLION PRIVATE CITIZENS. These millions of legal gun owners, myself included, don't....rob banks, stores, et cetera, have absolutely no intention of shooting people, don't home-invade, threaten people with violence, or otherwise burgle places. We fall into the category of sport-shooters at ranges, competition shooters at ranges, hunters, collectors and also have some in case a weapon is needed to defend our loved ones or ourselves. We are also, voters and take our gun ownership and safety seriously. I first used rifles at the age of nine and served in the military. I taught my daughter when she was 10, how to shoot and gun safety and she's a damn good shot now and owns her own weapon. We keep our guns in safes to make it very difficult for burglars to get them. We both have concealed pistol permits and while she only occasionally wears hers, mine is on my hip almost all the time and if I were to see your life in imminent danger and no law enforcement were around, I would assist, with the hope that I wouldn't have to actually shoot someone.
Hmmm. I really had not initially intended to blather on so much, but you get the idea.
I

TL ; DR

 

[OKTexas]

Should an exception to the 8th Amendment be added for Mass Murderers who murder innocent civilians while in public, subjecting them to excruciating torture outdoors, so that the public (victim) can watch?

I would go for a very public hanging. That's how all executions should be done.


.

 

[LuckyDuck]

No, just hang them publicly.

In my Criminal Justice classes, we learned that in the middle-ages, pickpockets were publicly hanged and while they were being hanged, pickpockets would work the crowd.
Thus, the standard death penalty is no deterrent and for those seeking recognition for their heinous crimes, hanging them in public only feeds into it.
When searching for a murderer, give the public only enough information that may help them in reporting him/her, once caught, give out no more information about the person, only their prisoner number. Those that seek notoriety for their heinous crimes will be disappointed. As for punishment, the victim's family, if willing, should still be offered the option of beating the perpetrator to death. No death penalty for those that don't murder though, prison for lengthy periods is sufficient.

 

[SSGT Bags]

No, just hang them publicly.

In my Criminal Justice classes, we learned that in the middle-ages, pickpockets were publicly hanged and while they were being hanged, pickpockets would work the crowd.
Thus, the standard death penalty is no deterrent and for those seeking recognition for their heinous crimes, hanging them in public only feeds into it.
When searching for a murderer, give the public only enough information that may help them in reporting him/her, once caught, give out no more information about the person, only their prisoner number. Those that seek notoriety for their heinous crimes will be disappointed. As for punishment, the victim's family, if willing, should still be offered the option of beating the perpetrator to death. No death penalty for those that don't murder though, prison for lengthy periods is sufficient.

My solution is to strap them on an operating table, and sell, off their usable body parts. Need a new cornea got one right here liver, kidney? Sure.
And the victim's family gets prioity.

 

[EverCurious]

I'm not keen on the idea of "cruel and unusual punishment" (aka torture) being suggested in here.

However, simply as a matter of finances and logistics, I do support the death penalty, and not only as a deterrent but as a closure for victims. Let the family watch him get stuck or fried if they want/need that validation that the person is gone and the nightmare of said persons existence is over.

 

[Mac1958]

Nope.

They should be examined and analyzed for as long as possible.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Nothing to see here, folks. Just USMB nutbags expressing their fantasies.

The fact that we've been there and done that....and decided that it doesn't work.....escapes them.

 

[ChrisL]

The last thing I would ever want to watch is someone being tortured! If you would get some kind of "good feeling" from watching a person being tortured, then you have some serious issues.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Nope.

They should be examined and analyzed for as long as possible.

Do they have to be dead or alive? Because you can do both in either circumstance.

 

[TemplarKormac]

As for the torture aspect, no. If we're opposed to waterboarding terrorists, we shouldn't be torturing murder suspects. Albeit, they will have caused immeasurable pain and suffering to those who were closest to the victim, say the family. Eye for an eye perhaps. But that's just not how our country works.

 

[petro]

I voted no.
Just an old fashioned hanging forcing the guilty to watch and listen to their own gallows being built.
Why should we feed and house trash for decades?

 

[gipper]

No. Clearly that is cruel and unusual punish.

Put them in solitary confinement and keep them alive as long as you can.

So apply it to all murderers. Then it won't be unusual. Just cruel.

The thread topic is about MASS MURDERS. Not all murderers. However, I do agree that solitary confinement could be considered cruel.

 

[ChrisL]

Wanting to watch a person being tortured and screaming in agony and watching horrible things being done to them? That is not normal.

 

[gipper]

Wanting to watch a person being tortured and screaming in agony and watching horrible things being done to them? That is not normal.

I would say it is sick.

 

[ChrisL]

I quit watching slasher flicks because I found them to be disgusting and disturbing. I don't enjoy watching people being tortured. I've had a few people ask me what is wrong with me that I don't like slasher flicks. I respond by telling them that maybe they should be asking themselves why they would LIKE watching that kind of thing! Gross!

 

[Timmy]

Lol. You can’t take the crazies guns away because of the 2nd , but let’s juts tear up the 8th for fun!

You don't who is or isn't crazy before they become a criminal, they also tend to use explosives, cars, machetes and other weapons besides firearms, and only firearms will suffice to stop these dangerous people.

We know who deserves it after they commit mass murder.

Countries with strong gun control don't have mass killing problems. I'd rather we limit the killings.

Hmmm....
85 died due to being deliberately run down by a truck, while the driver shouted, "Allahu Akhbar," in Nice, France. No guns needed. 22 died from the effects of a "home-made" bomb in Manchester, England. No guns needed. Driver ran down and killed 8, injuring 11 in New York, New York. No guns needed. Improvised bomb with pressure cooker, killed 3 and injured several hundred, with many losing limbs....Boston, Massachusetts. No guns needed. Close to 3,000 people have been estimated to have died in the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and related plane attack.....no guns needed. 202 people killed in Bali...method a improvised bomb. No guns needed. 192 killed and 2,000 injured in homemade bomb explosions, Madrid, Spain. No guns needed. 300+ killed via homemade bomb in truck, Mogadishu, Somalia. No guns needed (even though guns are all over the place there). 52 killed, 700+ injured in London on July 7, 2005 via homemade bombs. No guns needed. Wall Street tavern in 1975, 4 people killed, method, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 7 dead, 48 injured, run over by terrorist driver in London, England. 54+ killed, Gaziantep, Turkey...method, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 40 dead, Moscow, Russia, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 11 dead, 25 injured via homemade bomb. Russia. No guns needed. 2 dead, 52 injured by homemade bomb in Madrid, Spain. No guns needed. 12 dead, 100 injured via homemade bomb in Sri Lanka. No guns needed. 26 dead, 64 injured via homemade bomb in Sri Lanka. No guns needed. 80 dead, 216 injured, again, homemade bombs. Jaipur, India. No guns needed. 40 dead, 100+ injured via homemade bombs, Moscow, Russia. No guns needed. 38 dead, 180 injured via homemade bomb in Russia. No guns needed. 14 dead, 200+ injured via bomb in Belarus. No guns needed. 78 dead, 115 injured via homemade bomb, Mali. No guns needed. 7 dead, 33 injured via car bomb in Mali. No guns needed. 1 dead, 60 injured via homemade bomb in Thailand. No guns needed. 13 dead, 30 injured via bomb in Cameroon. No guns needed. 16 dead, 30 injured via bomb, again in Cameroon. No guns needed. 0 dead and 7 injured in France via motor vehicle attack. I guess his aim was bad. No guns needed. 1 dead, 19 injured via vehicle attack in Virginia. No guns needed. 24 dead 152 injured via vehicle attack, stabbings and a bomb in Catalonia, Spain. No guns needed. 9 dead and 10 injured in Middle School knife attack in China. No guns needed, just sharp implement. 13 dead and 5,500 injured in homemade Sarin gas attack on Japanese subway. No gun needed.
I'm going to cease with these figures (all verifiable). If I had included all the Muslim nations with the few exceptions I put in here, I'd be writing for days (and that's just bombing). Almost all of these countries cited, have strict to no gun ownership policies. In England for example, with the exception of shotguns in rural areas for hunting, people can't own guns. The UK also has laws against carrying sharp implements, yet those with the intent to kill, always find a way and when they make homemade bombs and use trucks and other vehicles, the numbers of deaths can be significant, as seen in Nice, France; one man with one truck and 85 dead. Currently, the London hospitals are being flooded with large numbers of knife attack victims. Bottom line is that there is no such thing as being safe. You could die via a routine motor vehicle accident (no matter how much you think you are in control when behind the wheel, it's an illusion. You have no control over the guy driving towards you or coming up from behind). You could die in your house, where most accidental deaths occur. One location where you are HIGHLY UNLIKELY to be killed in, is school. Every small town, medium sized city or large city has is multiple schools, so you would be more likely to be hit by lightening or die by car accident than killed in a school shooting.
As for here in the US, there are over 300 MILLION "LEGALLY OWNED" guns in the hands of about 90 MILLION PRIVATE CITIZENS. These millions of legal gun owners, myself included, don't....rob banks, stores, et cetera, have absolutely no intention of shooting people, don't home-invade, threaten people with violence, or otherwise burgle places. We fall into the category of sport-shooters at ranges, competition shooters at ranges, hunters, collectors and also have some in case a weapon is needed to defend our loved ones or ourselves. We are also, voters and take our gun ownership and safety seriously. I first used rifles at the age of nine and served in the military. I taught my daughter when she was 10, how to shoot and gun safety and she's a damn good shot now and owns her own weapon. We keep our guns in safes to make it very difficult for burglars to get them. We both have concealed pistol permits and while she only occasionally wears hers, mine is on my hip almost all the time and if I were to see your life in imminent danger and no law enforcement were around, I would assist, with the hope that I wouldn't have to actually shoot someone.
Hmmm. I really had not initially intended to blather on so much, but you get the idea.
I

Yep . And we’ve adjusted laws accordingly to prevent those things from happening again.

 

[gipper]

Lol. You can’t take the crazies guns away because of the 2nd , but let’s juts tear up the 8th for fun!

You don't who is or isn't crazy before they become a criminal, they also tend to use explosives, cars, machetes and other weapons besides firearms, and only firearms will suffice to stop these dangerous people.

We know who deserves it after they commit mass murder.

Countries with strong gun control don't have mass killing problems. I'd rather we limit the killings.

Hmmm....
85 died due to being deliberately run down by a truck, while the driver shouted, "Allahu Akhbar," in Nice, France. No guns needed. 22 died from the effects of a "home-made" bomb in Manchester, England. No guns needed. Driver ran down and killed 8, injuring 11 in New York, New York. No guns needed. Improvised bomb with pressure cooker, killed 3 and injured several hundred, with many losing limbs....Boston, Massachusetts. No guns needed. Close to 3,000 people have been estimated to have died in the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and related plane attack.....no guns needed. 202 people killed in Bali...method a improvised bomb. No guns needed. 192 killed and 2,000 injured in homemade bomb explosions, Madrid, Spain. No guns needed. 300+ killed via homemade bomb in truck, Mogadishu, Somalia. No guns needed (even though guns are all over the place there). 52 killed, 700+ injured in London on July 7, 2005 via homemade bombs. No guns needed. Wall Street tavern in 1975, 4 people killed, method, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 7 dead, 48 injured, run over by terrorist driver in London, England. 54+ killed, Gaziantep, Turkey...method, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 40 dead, Moscow, Russia, homemade bomb. No guns needed. 11 dead, 25 injured via homemade bomb. Russia. No guns needed. 2 dead, 52 injured by homemade bomb in Madrid, Spain. No guns needed. 12 dead, 100 injured via homemade bomb in Sri Lanka. No guns needed. 26 dead, 64 injured via homemade bomb in Sri Lanka. No guns needed. 80 dead, 216 injured, again, homemade bombs. Jaipur, India. No guns needed. 40 dead, 100+ injured via homemade bombs, Moscow, Russia. No guns needed. 38 dead, 180 injured via homemade bomb in Russia. No guns needed. 14 dead, 200+ injured via bomb in Belarus. No guns needed. 78 dead, 115 injured via homemade bomb, Mali. No guns needed. 7 dead, 33 injured via car bomb in Mali. No guns needed. 1 dead, 60 injured via homemade bomb in Thailand. No guns needed. 13 dead, 30 injured via bomb in Cameroon. No guns needed. 16 dead, 30 injured via bomb, again in Cameroon. No guns needed. 0 dead and 7 injured in France via motor vehicle attack. I guess his aim was bad. No guns needed. 1 dead, 19 injured via vehicle attack in Virginia. No guns needed. 24 dead 152 injured via vehicle attack, stabbings and a bomb in Catalonia, Spain. No guns needed. 9 dead and 10 injured in Middle School knife attack in China. No guns needed, just sharp implement. 13 dead and 5,500 injured in homemade Sarin gas attack on Japanese subway. No gun needed.
I'm going to cease with these figures (all verifiable). If I had included all the Muslim nations with the few exceptions I put in here, I'd be writing for days (and that's just bombing). Almost all of these countries cited, have strict to no gun ownership policies. In England for example, with the exception of shotguns in rural areas for hunting, people can't own guns. The UK also has laws against carrying sharp implements, yet those with the intent to kill, always find a way and when they make homemade bombs and use trucks and other vehicles, the numbers of deaths can be significant, as seen in Nice, France; one man with one truck and 85 dead. Currently, the London hospitals are being flooded with large numbers of knife attack victims. Bottom line is that there is no such thing as being safe. You could die via a routine motor vehicle accident (no matter how much you think you are in control when behind the wheel, it's an illusion. You have no control over the guy driving towards you or coming up from behind). You could die in your house, where most accidental deaths occur. One location where you are HIGHLY UNLIKELY to be killed in, is school. Every small town, medium sized city or large city has is multiple schools, so you would be more likely to be hit by lightening or die by car accident than killed in a school shooting.
As for here in the US, there are over 300 MILLION "LEGALLY OWNED" guns in the hands of about 90 MILLION PRIVATE CITIZENS. These millions of legal gun owners, myself included, don't....rob banks, stores, et cetera, have absolutely no intention of shooting people, don't home-invade, threaten people with violence, or otherwise burgle places. We fall into the category of sport-shooters at ranges, competition shooters at ranges, hunters, collectors and also have some in case a weapon is needed to defend our loved ones or ourselves. We are also, voters and take our gun ownership and safety seriously. I first used rifles at the age of nine and served in the military. I taught my daughter when she was 10, how to shoot and gun safety and she's a damn good shot now and owns her own weapon. We keep our guns in safes to make it very difficult for burglars to get them. We both have concealed pistol permits and while she only occasionally wears hers, mine is on my hip almost all the time and if I were to see your life in imminent danger and no law enforcement were around, I would assist, with the hope that I wouldn't have to actually shoot someone.
Hmmm. I really had not initially intended to blather on so much, but you get the idea.
I

Yep . And we’ve adjusted laws accordingly to prevent those things from happening again.

Really? Laws prevent crime. Who knew?

 

[Pop23]

1. Most Mass Murderers are suicidal, they don't really think they will get out alive anyway, so............

2. Our laws are based on deterring the criminal so, in fact, how can anything really be considered cruel and unusual, especially in mass murders, when the criminal knows what the punishment is ahead of time?

 

[SavannahMann]

I’ve never understood the mentality to do something like this. Then again, I don’t believe in kicking men when they are down, and I don’t believe in rubbing their noses in a loss at sporting events.

Perhaps I am different. But judging from the votes above, not that different so far. Most people agree that no is the right answer, and I’m sure we all have various reasons for that conclusion.

The problem with exceptions is this. Where do you draw the line? Because if history is any indication, the line will steadily move, with each exception being used to justify the next exception. We make it for mass murders, then some event is going to happen that falls one life short of the limit to be considered a “mass murder”. Well, we can’t let one life stand in the way of justice, so we’ll move the limit down just one notch.

We start out with twenty being the number to qualify for this exception. Well the guy who murdered nineteen is obviously as bad as the guy who murdered twenty. So the new exception is for nineteen, in this one case only. But the next time a guy is guilty of seventeen. How do you stand there and argue that seventeen is less evil to the families? Well we’ll make another exception. And another after that.

In time, we are arguing that a guy who was driving drunk and ran over a child should suffer the same fate, it’s only fair we say.

Exceptions to the rules are all well and good, but that doesn’t mean you change the rules.

I just used this example to explain why Artificial Intelligence can’t ever mimic human thought. You are walking across a parking lot. You stop and smash the window of a car. You reach in and unlock the door. You remove something from inside the car. You have just committed three crimes. Destruction of private property. The breaking of the window. Breaking and entering, the breaking of the window and unlocking the door. Burglary for removing the item from the car.

The item is a child. Forgotten or abandoned in the car by someone else. You just acted to save a life. You broke the law, but the common sense exception, even if it is not written into law, means your peers of the jury won’t convict you even if you are prosecuted.

It is the exceptions, the absolute violation of rules and laws but for a higher good that makes humans impossible to mimic. For every rule, or law, there is an exception. Which is why motive is the important thing in considering an action. Yes, you broke the law in getting the child out of the car. But you did so because if you had not the child may well have died.

Computers will always go psychotic when faced with this reality.

Oh, and those of you who know I condemn the police for actions like that, notice one difference. The person breaking into the car to save the life, told the truth. Yes, he did it, but he did it for this reason. When you lie to cover it up, then you have gone from a potentially good deed, to a criminal act.

The exception requires that you tell the truth. Otherwise, it is a crime.

The problems come when we write the exceptions into law, like the cops shooting people. For a very long time, the police had the requirement to actually see a gun. They had to be sure. Then it was something that looked like a gun. OK, that is a reasonable exception. No way to tell a toy gun from a real gun in an alley or hallway. Then it was a motion that could be construed by someone as a movement towards a gun. The exceptions have become the rule.

If the person made no motion, no problem. The cop thought he saw it, so that is enough. A delusional individual who sees things that aren’t actually happening is justification under the exceptions to kill someone. The exceptions have taken on a life of their own and not during a century, during my own lifetime. It only took a couple decades for the exceptions to become an asinine rule.

No. I will not support the idea that there is any exception to the prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment for some fantasy of a lunatic.