The Bali 9 thread has spread to a broader scene involving death penalties and a suggestion to have another dedicated thread just for death penalties.
This is not started to be that thread.
This one is about the too often repeated phrase "The overwhelming majority"... blah blah blah.
How the hell do the press, politicians and others come out with that drivel when no one has actually asked the overwhelming majority.
It is just like the noisy minority stuffing thier views down the throats of the silent majority.
We see a couple of thousand people including low talent musicians and actors (as if anyone cares what they think) protesting the Bali drug running criminals while the other 20 plus million Australians simply don't care. Same as three people felt sorry for Scapelle Corby, but the press kept waffling about the overwhelming majority wanted her back in Australia.
How about we just get a sheet of questions at the next election with a whole bunch of subjects with three boxes to each one. A Yes, a No, and a Don't give a rats arse boxes to tick with our somewhat outdated pencils.
These subjects could include things like Abortion, Capital Punishment, Same Sex Marriages, Level of Immigrants, Length of Political Terms, Abolition of State or Local Governments, Increasing the GST, Paid Maternity Leave, Free Childcare, Age of Retirement, Scrapping the Monarchy etc. etc.
This SHOULD be done with none of the Yes/No arguments we have to suffer through in a formal referendum, just get honest answers so the politicians can actually govern for the majority, not the noisy minority or rating seeking TV stations or press.
Now as far as the death penalty goes, if someone wants to start a dedicated thread, you can cut and paste the following on it:
At a personal level I am agree with Capital Punishment, but only when there is NO doubt regarding the guilt. None of this beyond reasonable doubt crap. Sure, many innocent people have been executed, but cases like Hoddle Street, Bryant is Tasmania, and numerous other crimes where there is absolutely no doubt, whether the bastards are insane or not, we just don't need to waste money keeping them alive. And as a deterrant, if you are dead, it is unlikely you will re-offend. In cases like Lindy Chamberlain and other similar ones, any doubt and NO death sentence, sounds pretty simple to me.
Maybe this should go in the rant thread, but just "having a rant" doesn't seem to be serious enough.