Do you support the Death Penalty

[Gabu]

No.

I do find it kind of interesting just from a sociological examination standpoint, however, how the United States is the only country in the First World in which the death penalty is still in use.  I've always kind of wondered what's different about it that would make that be the case.

[Gabu]

I do find it kind of interesting just from a sociological examination standpoint, however, how the United States is the only country in the First World in which the death penalty is still in use.

Japan and South Korea are hardly developing countries.

Okay, western First World, sue me.

[Gabu]

There's no requirement in libertarian philosophy that requires a libertarian to support keeping or abolishing the death penalty.

I had been under the impression that the whole point of libertarianism is opposition to the power of the state.
Otherwise what is it but an ideology created to defend the lifestyles of those who follow it?

The whole goal, as I understand it, is a maximization of rights and freedoms.  It seems to me that a case could be made that those who are known to be murderous individuals are both a danger to others' rights and freedoms and undeserving of their own rights and freedoms, having taken those of other people away, and as such, that removing these people from society helps achieve the goal I stated.

A similar justification could be found for allowing the state to imprison people; indeed, if someone supported neither the death penalty nor imprisonment for the reason you gave, that person would be an anarchist, not a simple libertarian.

[Gabu]

People who commit murder or molest children should, if the states and the juries so choose, face the death penalty.

While I do not support the death penalty in any case, it find it interesting that one would support the death penalty for child molestation (if it doesn't result in the child's death).

Though I don't agree with that idea, there is an argument to be made that it might be even worse for a child to get terribly molested and then live, scarred for life.