Is it hypocritical?

[John Scott]

To say that it is hypocritical to kill murderers is like saying it is hypocritical to put somebody in jail for illegal imprisonment.

[kerrin]

Nonsense indeed.

Your thought sparked these musings, I'm interested in your thoughts:
Under what law is it hyprocritical to murder murderers?

Or must a viable social contract allow for the killing (lawful) of murderers (law breakers)?

[Anenome]

Justice requires the punishment meet the crime. I have no problem with executing murderers. In that case it would be a killing for cause of a guilty individual, such is not wrong. It is the killing of an innocent without cause that is murder. Many do not understand the difference between the two terms. Therefore, the State executing a criminal cannot make you a murderer. 'Homicide', on the other hand, is used to indicate death of a person at the hands of another person while not assigning blame as of yet.

The idea that respect for life should cause us to not execute/kill those whom murder is abhorrent. It is the thwarting of justice and the giving of undeserved mercy.

I've always assumed it was a position taken expressely by those whom are not accustomed to death as a part of life, who never see it, never accept it - those perhaps whom live in the cities and are so artificially removed from death. There is a certain virtue to living 'close to the earth' such as those whom are farmers or outdoorsmen. When you have to kill your own food in order to eat, the idea of executing a criminal is not thwarted by fear death. Recognition of execution as an equal measure of justice for those whom murder is then accepted as rather obvious.

[kerrin]

...the State executing a criminal cannot make you a murderer.
Why should the State have the power to execute criminals?

[D.unups]

I know there are people much more qualified to give you advice, but heres what I would suggest...

How can you respect him when he is hypocritical? We can do this because it is a choice. Just like happiness is a chioce. Just like love is a choice. Just like love, respect is not a feeling, its a choice. The feelings will follow :

There will always be things he will do that will not deserve respect. If it wasnt this it would be something else, I promise you One thing that helps me is to focus on the things I do feel respect for and let those things fill up my mind.

Easier to say than do sometimes... but I hope that helps :

[John A Roark]

WTF?

Um, anyway, go read up on Rand's notions of totally impersonal justice, removed from the hands of private citizens, and placed in the realm of the objective regime.
The State has the power to execute criminals because I trust no individual arbitrator of Justice. But the enforcement of Justice, determined objectively and without recourse to any other motive power than human reason, is the only legitimate purpose of a government.