Nebraska May Overturn its Death Penalty Ban

Nebraska May Overturn its Death Penalty Ban

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Let's talk really briefly about all the problems with the death penalty.

First and foremost, there have been cases where innocent people may have died. If you haven't read David Grann's amazing New Yorker piece about Cameron Todd Willingham, do it. There's a link below.

It also costs a lot of money to kill people. When you think about all the lawyers and jurors and paperwork that has to be done, it's actually cheaper to keep someone behind bars for life without parole.

And what does it really accomplish? Someone who did something awful, took the lives of other people, suffers for a few seconds and then it's over? It doesn't bring anyone back. If you really want them to pay for their mistake, it seems harsher to keep them alive and behind bars so they can think about what they did.

It's also just plain immoral. What sort of people are we that we would kill people as an act of revenge? We expect that in Saudi Arabia, not here.

The death penalty is disproportionately used against people of color and the mentally ill. We don't even have the right drugs anymore. States are trying to import them from other countries because companies here won't supply them anymore.

If you think about it rationally, which I hope you all would, the death penalty is just a bad idea.

For all these reasons, they've been trying to overturn it in Nebraska. In fact, that fight has been led for decades by State Senator Ernie Chamber, who also happens to be the highest-ranking openly-atheist politician in the country.

He had filed a bill to ban the death penalty 37 times -- he's been in office that long -- and it never got anywhere. The one time it did, in 1979, the governor vetoed it.

But you know what? This year, he finally made it happen. Even though Governor Pete Ricketts threatened a veto, Chambers managed to get enough support in the legislature to override the governor. It was a huge victory.

But now, enough blood-thirsty people in Nebraska have signed a petition to put the death penalty back on the ballot next year. They want to reinstate it.

I can't stress enough how bad of an idea this is. I thought Nebraska was better than this. The irrational state is supposed to be its neighbor to the south. And yet, this ballot measure already has a lot of support.

I guess, for a lot of Christians in the state, this is what it means to be pro-life.

If you live there, please be vocal about this and urge everyone you know to keep the death penalty ban in place.

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[bkdmode]

I think Trevor Noah nailed it when he compared pro-life Christians to comic book collectors...

"Pro-life Christians are a lot like comic book collectors; as long as the new comic book remains sealed in it's bag it is priceless, but the moment you take it out of the package, it loses all value."

[nickcarbaugh]

Nebraskan here. we NEED the death penalty. Why do you think our fields are so fertile? nuff said.

[Werrf]

I am slightly pro death penalty in theory, but certainly not in the way it is currently applied in the US. It seems like it should be an option to keep available for some particularly dreadful situations like unrepentent mass murder, or even for organised crime heads whose imprisonment would just lead to them continuing the same brutal operation from behind bars. It should be an available option, but certainly should not be used routinely.

[brendanisstupid]

1 and 3 don't exactly coindice do they? "People have actually died." "It's worse to keep them in prison forever." So was is more terrible they died, or is it more terrible they live in prison forever? They can't both apply.

[Torvar]

You missed the part where it's not a deterrent to future crime.
Statistically places with the death penalty have more crime.

[drunkiamsir]

Wow, I didn't know that the death penalty cost more than keeping someone behind bars for the rest of their life. Perspective changed.

[Iamseraphinamusic]

Because the death penalty is decided by humans, there is always room for human error. 4% of Americans charged with the death penalty have been innocent. Some people may believe that's a low number, but if you put yourself in their shoes and really feel some kind of empathy, that could be one of your family members or even you. And as mentioned, the death penalty is disproportionally applied to people of colour and the mentally ill. It's just an archaic form of punishment that doesn't really punish anyone. Dying is kind of a cop-out for having to face what you did for the rest of your life. Especially for the religious who believe that the afterlife is so glorious.
But what do I know, I'm just Canadian and we haven't had the death penalty since the late 70's

[TerrySterling-Thatguy]

Not everyone in Kansas is that Irrational. But thank you for the nod towards our crazy people.

[TheDreadedZero]

You said the last line twice. That bothers my ocd

[__]

I live in Omaha, NE and I used to hear this topic everyday on the news.

[jamesschaefer]

He admits that life in prison is the harsher punishment...then goes on & on about why the death penalty is so bad. Put me out of my misery any day before you go locking me up forever in a place like prison.

[torihoover]

This changed my way of looking at this issue. Thankyou

[ostrichlives]

I'm from Nebraska, and Ernie Chambers is the freaking JAM. And I will be vocal about this ban, and hope our state isn't dumb enough to vote the amendment through. Our governor is a jerk.

[sonicpsycho]

Some faulty parts of this argument: 1) Life in prison is also expensive because they also need to be tried, sentenced, and incarcerated, and they're just as free to appeal as those on death row. 2) Incarceration serves the purpose of protecting the public from criminals. The death penalty is a permanent means to this end, not necessarily a punishment.

[jacobjackson]

First you say it's not bad enough to be a punishment, then you say it's a horrible act. Make up your mind.

[Supersaiyandakota]

I live in omaha, Nebraska, people here love the death penalty. When it was banned everyone seemed pissed. I heard it constantly in school and even at work to this day. I would probably be more hated in Nebraska for being against the death penalty, than even being an atheist. Nebraska is the red state for a reason.

[MilwaukeeAtheists]

anyone notice the repeat of the last sentence ??

[chasesturgeon]

I really wish all of those who choose to worship a religious would critically think about about what is happening because they "just have faith" So many harmful issues are happening because of this. Christianity honestly might be the most harmful thing in the United States of America. I really hope this channel continues to grow and more Christians see this and look at their previous life and say "what the fuck am i doing?"
p.s thanks for all the best counter arguments for silly non critical high school arguments

[GaladorHelm]

A lot of people commenting that if someone had killed their loved one, they would want that person to die, therefore they are pro death penalty. But once someone is personally involved in the type of crime that would warrant the death penalty, they lose all objectivity and rationality. Therefore they are in no position to be making that kind of decision.
People do not commit horrific crimes for no reason. Be it severe trauma that has lead them to make the decision, mental illness, which a person cannot be blamed for, or that they have simply been pushed to the edge by a specific person, there is always a reason for lashing out in violence. Justice is subjective.

[ethanleighton]

I live in Nebraska I'm just happy sombody accually acknowledged us 😄