For the record I am STRONGLY opposed to the death penalty (for moral/religious reasons).
That said, I wonder if you live in the same Texas I visit each year. The vast majority of Texans support the death penalty.
A University of Texas (Austin) poll last year showed 49% of Texans support the death penalty. 26% somewhat support. That's almost 20 million Texans. While just 19% are opposed (of which just 9% strongly oppose).
The federal government does still utilize the death penalty, but it's very rare these days. Only three times since 1963, whereas Texas has executed 500 people since 1982.
# of executions in Texas since 1982 is probably a fair percentage of the total number of executions since that time. Don't have time to look it up, sorry!
There is no death penalty in most counties and in the ones that have it there are many counties with very small populations and a small handful with mega cities like Dallas Texas in them.
Why put the governor on the hook, but not the majority of Americans who support the death penalty? If tomorrow 75% of Americans disagreed with the death penalty, it would be abolished.
It's not your politicians who are keeping the death penalty, it is your citizens.
Run the table "CAPPUN" vs "RELIG". Nearly every major religious position in the US (including atheist/agnostic/none) is largely in favor of the death penalty, with only Muslims and Native Americans coming out as more than 50% opposed in both sets, and "other eastern" being over 50% in the newer set.
Also of note: whites are much more in favor of the death penalty than other races, Republicans are slightly more in favor than Democrats, people with higher incomes are more in favor than those with lower incomes, and people with average education (high school or 2-year college) are more in favor than those with either very high or very low education.
(I'm from a religious subgroup that's anti-death-penalty, anti-war, pro-life, etc. and I would argue that the death penalty isn't consistent with a Christian ethic, but plenty of people obviously disagree with me.)
This doesnt contribute to the OP's discussion but i thought i'd mention it anyway.
Texas love executing people. Since 1976 Texas executed 498 people, the state in second place is Virginia with 110. Also, their supreme court does not hear criminal matters, only civil, because it makes the appeals process for executing people faster.
Actually, it's my impression that a majority of people worldwide are in favor of the death penalty. Two minutes of googling didn't turn up a good answer one way or the other though, so it's entirely possible I'm misremembering something.
I think you misunderstand my question. I'm not wondering how often innocent people get executed in Texas relative to the number of people murdered. I'm asking about the absolute number.
I'm anti-death-penalty because I like small government. Unfortunately, almost everyone who says they like small government likes the death penalty. Weird company to keep.
I hope people understand the grave injustice by the state. There are 300 people on death row, and everyone is not a monster. Texas is carrying out a very inhumane and injustice. It's not right to kill anybody just because I killed your people. Everyone changes, right? Life is about experience and people change.
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I hope you don't find satisfaction in this, watching a human being die.
I'm against the death penalty also, but this is misleading. Just look at Central America, parts of South America and parts of Africa. There are and have been many, many killings by the government in these places for the purpose of keeping its constituents under control.
That said, I wonder if you live in the same Texas I visit each year. The vast majority of Texans support the death penalty.
A University of Texas (Austin) poll last year showed 49% of Texans support the death penalty. 26% somewhat support. That's almost 20 million Texans. While just 19% are opposed (of which just 9% strongly oppose).
https://texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/support-death-penalty-f...
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