So did 70% of the rest of the people here. Heck, even I go back two or three forums..
[News] -1 Faith in Humanity
- Thread starter Frank
- Start date
I'll throw my conspiracy theory in: Charlie is a hardcore right-wing conservative religious racist sexist zealot disguised as a liberal extremist strawman so that he can turn people to a hardcore right-wing conservative religious racist sexist zealot way of thinking.
I see it as an acceptance of the inability to change the past, but ability to change the future.
He can't save the boy who's hand was cut, but he could save the perpetrators from the victimization of the criminal justice system which is obviously heavily weighted against those who target children.
He further seems to believe that the intentions and mental capacity of the criminal should factor more heavily into the justice meted out.
If the person who did this was a 12 year old girl who really didn't think it was a big deal, then she should be punished according to her capability to understand the possible outcomes of her choices, rather than the actual outcomes or possible outcomes.
Then, on top of all that, I don't think he believes that the consequences set forth in the law should be higher than the crime itself. There are many harsh penalties for breaking certain laws as crime deterrents. It seems he believes the punishment should fit the crime, and no further - if even that far.
All this adds up to a very, very divergent view of what the criminal justice system should do, vs what our society has designed it to do.
And it's working!
Occam's Razor.
He's just an annoying hipster.
He's just an annoying hipster.
I have posited in the past that Charlie is an alt of Gasbandit's to make us liberals look like drooling morons. Strawman by proxy, I believe is the term I used.
As for Charlie himself, eh, his movie threads are pretty good sometimes. I just ignore everything he posts on social issues.
GasBandit
Staff member
Not I, said the cat.
In case it wasn't clear, I was not serious.
Even your perception of liberals isn't THAT skewed.
Sieg...Heil? 
damn I didn't want to make this thread about me.
I'm all for jail as rehabilitation, I just think violent, gruesome punishments (like the death penalty) bring us, as human beings, down to the level of those that committed the crime in the first place
I'm all for jail as rehabilitation, I just think violent, gruesome punishments (like the death penalty) bring us, as human beings, down to the level of those that committed the crime in the first place
Dave
Staff member
And that's a perfectly good opinion to hold. I don't necessarily agree with it to the fullest extent, but I smell what you're cooking.
Yes. BUT you have to allow people to feel the emotions and responses they have. EVERYONE feels things they wouldn't do or actually want. It's part of being human. And your reaction to them really shames people (or attempts to). Maybe instead of trying to shame others for having emotions that you don't like, just try to understand why they have them. Does that make sense?
It only shames us if we let it.
When it comes to crime and punishment, I do believe rehabilitation is a preferable option. I also believe that the desire to truly rehabilitate has to come from within the subject, and too rarely is it something that they want to do. Too many don't feel remorse for what they've done, instead seeing the state as the bad guy for keeping them confined. They get out, and the cycle continues.
The death penalty exists for a very good reason - it removes from society permanently those who have crossed a particularly heinous line. It is not to be utilized without careful consideration, but it should always be in place as an option.
The appeals process for it is ridiculous, too... we had a cop-killer here executed a couple years ago, who was on death row for 20 years. 20 years, spent fighting an iron-clad case in an incident that didn't have to happen in the first place. THAT'S crazy.
When it comes to crime and punishment, I do believe rehabilitation is a preferable option. I also believe that the desire to truly rehabilitate has to come from within the subject, and too rarely is it something that they want to do. Too many don't feel remorse for what they've done, instead seeing the state as the bad guy for keeping them confined. They get out, and the cycle continues.
The death penalty exists for a very good reason - it removes from society permanently those who have crossed a particularly heinous line. It is not to be utilized without careful consideration, but it should always be in place as an option.
The appeals process for it is ridiculous, too... we had a cop-killer here executed a couple years ago, who was on death row for 20 years. 20 years, spent fighting an iron-clad case in an incident that didn't have to happen in the first place. THAT'S crazy.
Also I like how Charlie thinks we're all death panel advocates when most of the time we just want to lay a can of whoop ass on the criminal and then let the justice system do its work. Oh but that's wrong too, I forgot. Even Hitler deserved better treatment (Anyone remember when Charlie defended Hitler/Osama/Stalin? That was fun times).
to be fair had he not taken his own life the ultimate punishment for Hitler would have been to stuff him in a small bare cell for the rest of his life and let him consider alone with his thoughts the deaths of 6 million human beings who had nothing to do with waging war on Europe.
BananaHands
Staff member
yes, that is wrong, that's fucking savage.
and I forgot how I defended those brutal dictators other than saying I wouldn't give them the death penalty?
Stalin's guards were so afraid of him, they left him collapsed on the floor unable to speak and drenched in his own pee for fear that he might suddenly recover and have them shot for disobeying orders that he was not to be disturbed.
okay, cool, whatever? I still am anti-death penalty
Seriously dude. Charlie. You can be against all these things (and I think you would be surprised how many here, including some responding very negatively to you, feel similarly) but still leave room for people to have emotional responses.
@OC I never meant to imply you FELT ashamed, just that he was using shaming language for a human response, which isn't ok. People need to be able to have emotional, human responses to things.
@OC I never meant to imply you FELT ashamed, just that he was using shaming language for a human response, which isn't ok. People need to be able to have emotional, human responses to things.
Shrinking Majority of Americans Support Death Penalty
...unless you're White, apparently. Then it's all, "Light 'em up!"
--Patrick
Well, this makes sense because people of color get executed way more than white people
BananaHands
Staff member
If this keeps up we're going to lose much more than 1 Faith in Humanity point.
Last edited:
Necronic
Staff member
I agree with most of what Charlie is saying here. Justice is blind and dispassionate. I can't stand it when the internet gets all "oh lets go kick some ass". For one, its just hillbilly redneck justice and as someone from a first world country you should respect yourself and your criminal justice system more than that. And two, since it's said on the internet, it's an empty threat made to puff yourself up or something. It's almost like the hillbilly redneck version of white-knighting.
Don't get me wrong, I understand why people say those things from time to time, some crimes, like this, are particularly heinous. But defending the statements after the fact? That's ridiculous. Vigilante justice is dangerous. Internet threats of vigilante justice are simply pathetic.
....unless it's batman.
Don't get me wrong, I understand why people say those things from time to time, some crimes, like this, are particularly heinous. But defending the statements after the fact? That's ridiculous. Vigilante justice is dangerous. Internet threats of vigilante justice are simply pathetic.
....unless it's batman.
also when an actual police officer says it, it's terrifying since the police can beat the shit out of / kill whoever they want and seldom face consequences other than "administrative leave"
Necronic
Staff member
Nah, it's not terrifying, he was just spouting off. We all do that, and like he said, when he gets to his job it's a totally different thing. Like I said, I don't think it's crazy to say things like this from time to time, sometimes we all reach our limit on what we can stomach. But to try and defend the statements as rational sentiments (which he didn't, although others did), that's where you cross a line.
That's a dire ferret. It's difficult to see the scale but that little bugger is the size of a bus.
Fun fact: there is such a thing that's essentially a dire corgi. It's a Swedish vallhund and it was also a favored dog for Vikings. The breed is still around, by the way.