Madrid Bombings?

[Furrowed Brow]

Today 21 of the 28 accused of the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 and injured 1800 were found guilty. The three ringleaders Jamal Zougam 34 Otman el Ghanoui 29 Emilio Trashorras 30, were together sentenced to 43,000 years. Yes that was 43,000 years. However under Spanish law they can indivually serve no more than 40 years.

Question: is 40 years in jail an adequate punishment?

[OnceConvinced]

No, it's not. In this case here, I support the death penalty.

[McCulloch]

Today 21 of the 28 accused of the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 and injured 1800 were found guilty. The three ringleaders Jamal Zougam 34 Otman el Ghanoui 29 Emilio Trashorras 30, were together sentenced to 43,000 years. Yes that was 43,000 years. However under Spanish law they can indivually serve no more than 40 years.

Question: is 40 years in jail an adequate punishment?

Punishment is pointless and vindictive.
Because we cannot treat these people's mental illnesses and because they pose a serious threat to society, the most humane course of action is to end their lives.

[Nameless]

Punishment is pointless and vindictive.
Because we cannot treat these people's mental illnesses and because they pose a serious threat to society, the most humane course of action is to end their lives.

Ah, a light in the tunnel of medieval ignorance!

From this perspective, we have no 'free-will/choice', and therefore punishment is truly a pointless and vindictive anachronistic error.
'Justice' seems to be spelled R*E*V*E*N*G*E!

I think that we are beginning to make some headway into dealing with some mental illnesses/behaviors. If we put as much $ into 'healing' as we put into 'retribution' and the HUGE 'criminal justice (retribution) system (industry)', perhaps society will be better served.

If a 'dangerous' person cannot be suitably 'healed', and remains a 'danger', he can be housed apart from those whom he might hurt, but humanely, as a dear ill brother, loved and cared for so he is no longer a danger to self or others...
Perhaps that is all the 'healing' that he needed in the first place?

[Furrowed Brow]

Today 21 of the 28 accused of the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 and injured 1800 were found guilty. The three ringleaders Jamal Zougam 34 Otman el Ghanoui 29 Emilio Trashorras 30, were together sentenced to 43,000 years. Yes that was 43,000 years. However under Spanish law they can indivually serve no more than 40 years.

Question: is 40 years in jail an adequate punishment?

Punishment is pointless and vindictive.
Because we cannot treat these people's mental illnesses and because they pose a serious threat to society, the most humane course of action is to end their lives.

Are they mentally ill? One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. A madman to one, maybe a visionary to another?

Having said that I have no doubt there will be dozens of pschology thesis' over the next few years written on the 21.

[McCulloch]

Punishment is pointless and vindictive.
Because we cannot treat these people's mental illnesses and because they pose a serious threat to society, the most humane course of action is to end their lives.

Are they mentally ill? One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. A madman to one, maybe a visionary to another?

Having said that I have no doubt there will be dozens of psychology thesis' over the next few years written on the 21.

I believe that anyone who has persistent anti-social or dangerous behaviour is mentally ill.

[Fallibleone]

I don't know if 40 years is long enough or not, but I do know that I am unable to condone the taking of a life either as a punishment or as a way to deal with the mentally ill recidivist. This inability may be due to lack of logical thinking on my part.

[McCulloch]

I don't know if 40 years is long enough or not, but I do know that I am unable to condone the taking of a life either as a punishment or as a way to deal with the mentally ill recidivist. This inability may be due to lack of logical thinking on my part.

What is the most humane thing to do with a rabid dog? Why should the answer be any different in the case of an incurably dangerous human?

[Furrowed Brow]

I think the death penalty is appropriate. Though I would not say these guys are mentally ill, I suspect they are still enveloped by the ideology that lead them to kill. from what I've seen and read I don't think that they have absorbed the enormity of their actions.

However lets say that one of these killers turns into a modern birdman of Alcatraz. Lets say they take full ownership of their actions, recognise fully the enormity of the suffering they have created, go on to study and learn and grow as human beings. Let say after 40 years they are a totally different human being to the one that planned and took part in the bombing. They have fully and sincerely repented. I still think even if that were the eventual outcome a death sentence now is still appropriate. I say that because this should not be about them, it should be about their actions, the victims, and accepting ownership of their actions.

[OnceConvinced]

Oh, oh, I made a big mistake, one that I have accused others of making. The question is asking if it is adequate punishment. I suggested the death penalty. However death is NOT a punishment. It is an execution. A punishment is something that someone should be able to learn from. Death isn't.

So I revise my original reply and say that 40 years seems like a fair punishment. However, I think they should get more than just a punishment.