Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Maybe you should read the Constitution and find out.
In 1779, Thomas Jefferson proposed that in Virginia the crime of sodomy be punished by castration for the gay men and facial disfigurement (boring a hole through one's nose at least half the size of the nose) for the lesbians. This was a liberalization from the normal punishment for sodomy of death without benefit of Clergy.
Virginia rejected Jefferson's criminal punishment reform package (by 1 vote) and kept the death penalty for sodomy (until 1860 if you're curious). Funny enough, the main reason Jefferson's reform package failed was that people were outraged it reduced the penalty for horse-theft from execution to 3 years of hard labor.
Let's say Virginia had accepted Jefferson's reform, and to get around the issue of did the 8th Amendment apply to state laws pre-14th Amendment, let's say the federal government had adopted the same reform.
In 1791:
1) was castration as a criminal punishment prohibited by the 8th Amendment as cruel and unusual?
2) was facial disfigurement as a criminal punishment prohibited by the 8th Amendment as cruel and unusual?
3) was amputating a hand as criminal punishment prohibited by the 8th Amendment as cruel and unusual?
4) was execution for stealing a horse prohibited by the 8th Amendment as cruel and unusual?
Now, answer each of these 4 questions for the year 2014. If your answer is different for 1791 vs. 2014, what about the 8th Amendment changed?
Although this is part of the Islamic Sharia law practiced in several Islamic countries, I believe cutting the hands of the thief is a great idea because crime rate will drop significantly; who wouldn't be scared of having their hands cut off? I don't think anybody would be brave enough to steal due to this harsh penalty. Yes, it is barbaric, but sometimes you need to scare those thieves! Of course they must be convicted and found guilty first. Our prisons are packed with so many people, which is costly! Obviously young children stealing candy from stores does not apply to this.
This is not adopting Sharia Law (which is unConstitutional) but an idea from it.
What do you think?
...then we as a compasionate country will put the thief on SSDI with 50% disability payments for life.
Although this is part of the Islamic Sharia law practiced in several Islamic countries, I believe cutting the hands of the thief is a great idea because crime rate will drop significantly; who wouldn't be scared of having their hands cut off? I don't think anybody would be brave enough to steal due to this harsh penalty. Yes, it is barbaric, but sometimes you need to scare those thieves! Of course they must be convicted and found guilty first. Our prisons are packed with so many people, which is costly! Obviously young children stealing candy from stores does not apply to this.
This is not adopting Sharia Law (which is unConstitutional) but an idea from it.
What do you think?
I am thinking of that poor black woman in Alabama who was caught stealing 3 cracked eggs. The cop, instead of shooting her or arresting her, bought her and her kids a ton of groceries. They had not eaten in 3 days.....so much for this administration helping the people. Soooo, that said, no. I would hate to see her hands cut off for stealing 3 cracked eggs. But if you support Sharia law, why stop at children? They seem to get their heads cut off for practicing the wrong faith. Every 7,000 years or so, radical Islam raises its demon head and gets it cut off after nations get sick of them.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
