Friday, October 11, 2013

Rebuttal to Richard A. Viguerie's "A conservative argues for abolishing the death penalty"

Rebuttal to Richard A. Viguerie
Dudley Sharp, independent researcher, death penalty expert, former opponent, 
832-439-2113, CV at bottom
7/09

Subject: Viguerie's errors within "When Governments Kill: A conservative argues for abolishing the death penalty", Sojourners, 7/09

 Let's not allow ignorant conservative to become just the next deceptive arrow in the anti-death penalty quiver.

Mr. Viguerie makes a very weak argument for repeal of the death penalty and he duplicates the many errors of those rare conservatives against the death penalty, who seem to embrace anti death penalty deceptions (1).

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August 20, 2019

Full Rebuttal of Hannah Cox, National Manager,
Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty (CCADP),
within Comment Section

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1) Mr. Viguerie writes: "I’m a Catholic. Because of my Christian faith, and because I am a follower of Jesus Christ, I oppose the death penalty."

Sharp replies: There is no conflict with Catholic/Christian faith and support for the death penalty. There has been more than 2000 years of biblical, theological, traditional and rational support for the death penalty within the Catholic Church (2). A Catholic in good standing can support the death penalty and an increase in executions, based upon their own prudential judgement and a foundation in Church teachings.

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2018 CCC 2267 amendment: 12 Factual Errors
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2022/02/7-factual-errors-2018-ccc-2267-amendment.htm
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2) Mr. Viguerie "I’m a conservative as well, and because my political philosophy recognizes that government is too often used by humans for the wrong ends, I find it quite logical to oppose capital punishment."

Sharp replies: Because some seek any goal for the wrong ends, doesn't mean that the death penalty is not sought, most often, for honorable ends, the just and appropriate sentence for the crime committed. As Mr. Viguerie does not have a case for an opposite finding, he gives little support for ending the death penalty.

 The illogic of Viguerie suggests an end to all government, meaning anarchy.

3) Mr. Viguerie: "The fact is, I don’t understand why more conservatives don’t oppose the death penalty. It is, after all, a system set up under laws established by politicians (too many of whom lack principles); enforced by prosecutors (many of whom want to become politicians—perhaps a character flaw?—and who prefer wins over justice); and adjudicated by judges (too many of whom administer personal preference rather than the law)."

Sharp replies: Mr. Viguerie, the same arguments can be used against all legal sanctions and all government. You provide neither argument nor evidence that the death penalty is not, most often sought and given by honorable persons for honorable reasons.  You seem to gloat in slandering prosecutors, a group of individuals which, most often, should be praised. 

 86% of US citizens support the death penalty for true, capital, death penalty eligible murders (3). Why? Justice. 

 Again, Mr. Viguerie provides no foundation to oppose the death penalty.

 Again, the illogic of Viguerie suggests an end to all government, meaning anarchy.

 4) Mr. Viguerie: "Conservatives have every reason to believe the death penalty system is no different from any politicized, costly, inefficient, bureaucratic, government-run operation, which we conservatives know are rife with injustice. But here the end result is the end of someone’s life. In other words, it’s a government system that kills people."

Sharp replies:

 If Mr. Viguerie had, actually, studied the topic, he would find just the opposite.

A) Costly/inefficient: Rebuttal. Virginia executes within 7.1 years of sentencing, on average, has executed 70% of those so sentenced, since 1976, with only 11% of their death penalty cases are overturned on appeal. With the high costs of long term imprisonment, a true life sentence will be more expensive than such a death penalty protocol (4). Improve the system in other states.

 Again, Mr. Viguerie does not provide a solid reason to oppose capital punishment. 

B) Viguerie avoids the elephant in the room. Liberal lawmakers and judges, overwhelmingly, do all the can to cause delay and increase costs, as could not be more clear (5).

 He doesn't even mention it, which reinforces his lack of knowledge.

C) Injustice: Rebuttal. Possibly, 0.4% of those on death row have been recognized as actually innocent and were released, meaning a 99.6% accuracy rate in guilty findings, with the 0.4% being released (6)

 Is Viguerie aware of any other government or private programs that get it right 99.6% of the time, with the 0.4% error rate being corrected?

Likely not. 

 Of all the government programs in the world, that put innocents at risk, is there one with a safer record and with greater protections than the US death penalty? Unlikely. 

Therefore, this may be the least likely government program to end, based upon Mr. Viguerie's reasoning.

Mr. Viguerie, a very weak case, indeed, for death penalty opposition.

D) Folks support the death penalty based upon justice, the foundation for all sanctions.

 Let's not allow ignorant conservative to become the next deceptive arrow in the anti death penalty quiver.

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More rebuttal to Viguerie in the comment section, as
Dudley Sharp | January 27, 2010 3:32 AM | Reply

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FOOTNOTES

1) Few Conservatives Embrace Anti Death Penalty Deceptions

Conservatives Concerned About The Death Penalty:
Just another dishonest anti death penalty group

Rebuttal to Ron Paul at

Few Conservatives Embrace Anti Death Penalty Deceptions
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/11/few-conservatives-embrace-anti-death.html

Rebuttal to Richard A. Viguerie
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/10/rebuttal-to-richard-vigueries-when.html

6) updated:  The Death Penalty: Saving More Innocent Lives


The Death Row "Exonerated"/"Innocent" Frauds 
 71-83% Error Rate in Death Row "Innocent" Claims, Well Known Since 2000 
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my full rebuttal to CCATDP within the comment section of

Government Can’t be Trusted With the Death Penalty, by Marc Hyden, national advocacy coordinator for Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty, Mises Daily: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 

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Victim's Voices - These are the murder victims
http://www.murdervictims.com/Voices/voices.html


Partial CV, Dudley Sharp
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2021/08/partial-cv-dudley-sharp-independent.html 
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