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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neocon who wrote (53730)	8/3/2002 10:00:31 AM
From: J. C. Dithers	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 82486

It seems to me that banning the execution of the mentally retarded is the equivalent of holding that any person with an IQ of (say) 70 or less cannot be held responsible for their actions. This is the equivalent of holding that such persons are incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong and/or of controlling their impulses and actions. My logic says that it must then follow that such persons cannot be permitted to live freely in a society that is Constitutionally committed to protecting the right to life, liberty, and happiness of all its citizens. Thus, by definition, persons diagnosed with ultra-low IQs should automatically be confined for life for the greater good of society. Other than arguing over the IQ cut-off level ... is there anything wrong with my reasoning? We have long implemented the same concept with respect to persons diagnosed as insane; i.e. they are held in confinement whether or not they have committed a crime.

To: Neocon who wrote (53730)	8/3/2002 11:23:26 AM
From: epicure	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 82486

i am against the death penalty in all cases- since I've never understood why we should discriminate because of IQ. Seems silly to me. I say lock people up forever and throw away the key if you wish, but do not let the state, which never has been and never will be perfect, take lives. I just thought the article was interesting. Arguing about how stupid people have to be before you do NOT execute them strikes me as about as sensical as arguing about angles on pins. But then lots of things that seem perfectly sensible to other people, strike me that way.