Originally Posted by: renOK,

I have no problem with Al Capone being found guilty of tax-evasion, but with that fact in our minds, I don't think he should have other crimes attributed to him that he may not have been guilty of (or as guilty of) - he cheated the IRS.... and that's it.

In the same way, grizzlymint and others seem to think they know exactly what has gone down in Iraq over the years. I would think that unless you saw it with your own eyes, you're no better a judge than I am. As it stands, Saddam was guilty of ordering the killing of 148 people, and that's it - everything else is speculation.

I'm not crying for Saddam, but I have managed to evolve far enough that I understand killing someone for killing others is morally bankrupt...

It's the hippocracy that bothers me here, combined with people's determination not to see it. :rolleyes:

I agree with you. It's impossible for us, especially we Americans, to know precisely what went down in Iraq (except for the service folks who were or are there) because the American media is so often manipulated (on both sides of the issue). I am still not convinced that's what the forefathers were thinking when they established a free press but that's an argument for another day. As far as other crimes being attributed to him, sure, you're right. But never officially. The crimes being attributed to him are by the press and civil rights groups...etc. Not by the courts. He was charged, convicted and executed for the 148 deaths.

Those other crimes he may or may not have committed remain uncharged.

Killing someone for killing someone else is morally bankrupt. Yep. Agreed. So is not helping a poor single mother afford milk for her child. So is the fact that millions of people worlwide have no healthcare (well, you guys in Canada and the UK don't really have that issue but it's huge here...) and that there are literally millions upon millions of people worldwide who go to bed at night hungry and yet we here in US pay farmers NOT to grow crops. We have senior citizens aroudn the world who cannot afford the medications they need to live. It's wrong. Absolulutely wrong.

Is it hypocritical to execute someone who has been found guilty of a captial crime? I honestly don't know. I would love to live in a world where discussions like this are not neccessary and hopefully someday, several generations from now, they will have just that. I some times think that capital punishment is nothing more than a way of sating our lust for blood. Our need for revenge. It's one of man's more base instincts. We should be moving beyond that. We should be able to resolve conflicts without war. We should be a global community - a world without borders. We should be united for a common good.

There's one thing that keeps that from happening. Man.

I've always said that mankinds biggest threat is man himself. On the eternal stage, mankind is forever a six year old on the playground. We want all the toys, we don't share and we have a deep and instinctual dislike and distrust for people who aren't just like us. It will take a deep, heartfelt and global committment to changing mankind as a whole.

And that, my friend, is not likely to happen any time soon. :(