The execution of Paul Hill - convicted of killing an abortion doctor

damasa · #1 09-01-2003, 12:05 PM

I'm going to try to get us to talk about something besides Kate Spade and that "oh so cool T.V. show that you watched yesterday."

Paul Hill, a Presbyterian minister who gunned down an abortion doctor and his bodyguard is scheduled to be executed on Septermber 3rd. (The first scheduled execution for anti-abortion related violence.)

If you don't know anything about this story, you can check some of it out here: Paul Hill

Personally, I don't think his actions were justified killings, even in the "name of the Bible." What are your feelings?

SilverTurtle · #2 09-01-2003, 12:23 PM

I generally don't support the death penalty. (Of course, I think our entire prison system is messed up, but that's a different topic...)

This seems to especially NOT warrant it.... The minister killed a doctor because the doctor killed a fetus/baby. So to teach the minister that killing is wrong, we kill him? It just seems weird to me.

Optimist Prime · #3 09-01-2003, 12:24 PM

He deserves it.

twinstars · #4 09-01-2003, 12:31 PM

If he was sentenced to die then I'm totally in support of that.

Abortion is legal, murder is not.

We can't just have people running around with shotguns picking off unsuspecting people as they enter their workplaces because "God commanded them to."

I don't think that the point of capital punishment is to convince/teach the minister that "killing is wrong," rather I think it's society's way of saying, you're not worth keeping alive, your crime was that bad and it's that unlikely that you could be rehabilitated to become a productive, safe part of society.

I know that there are debates about whether the death penalty actually helps with deterrence, but maybe executing this guy will encourage other anti-abortion nuts to think twice before killing doctors. At least it makes the statement that the law won't be forgiving toward vigilantes who feel that they and their pet causes are above the law.

damasa · #5 09-01-2003, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SilverTurtle
I generally don't support the death penalty. (Of course, I think our entire prison system is messed up, but that's a different topic...)

This seems to especially NOT warrant it.... The minister killed a doctor because the doctor killed a fetus/baby. So to teach the minister that killing is wrong, we kill him? It just seems weird to me.

That is why it is ironic. In a sense the minister killed the doctor and his bodyguard to show them that abortion or "killing of a fetus" is wrong.

The bodyguard was not an abortion doctor, how was killing him justified by the bible like minister Hill claims? I don't get it.

twinstars · #6 09-01-2003, 12:39 PM

I guess the bodyguard was an "accessory."

Generally it's best not to try and look for logic when someone's not playing with a full deck.

chitownxo · #7 09-01-2003, 12:40 PM

By his own admission, Hill killed two people. Before the crime took place, he carried signs calling for the execution of the doctors in the clinic. He chose to murder these two people; one of the consequences of this crime in Florida is the death penatly. He did the crime, now he must do the penalty.

smiley21 · #8 09-01-2003, 12:46 PM

due to the fact that one of the commandments is 'thou shalt not kill', i will say that i believe God doesnt command anyone to kill. i really hate when people use God to jusify their wrong doing. personally i depise the death penalty. to me, the criminal is getting off easy if we just kill them. they should go through long suffering.
from a religious standpoint, that minister let his 'flesh' get in the way of his 'morals'. no one is going to listen to you when you act like a hypocrite.

GeekyPenguin · #9 09-01-2003, 01:03 PM

I really don't like the death penalty - I think it's too much "playing God" for my liking. However, in some cases it doesn't really bother me as much - and this is one of them. If he thought he was able to kill people because God wanted him to, then we can just tell him God wanted him executed.

And twinstars, I agree with everything you said.

valkyrie · #10 09-01-2003, 02:45 PM

I find people who kill abortion doctors to be especially disgusting, but I am against the death penalty.

Imthachamp · #11 09-01-2003, 02:50 PM

Quote:

On the day in 1994 that he says God commanded him to kill an abortion doctor, Paul Hill rose at 4 a.m. and prayed fervently as he clutched his Bible.

well, as long as God commanded him to do it, it's ok with me.

he saved the babies!

FREE PAUL HILL

bethany1982 · #12 09-01-2003, 02:53 PM

To me, the issue here is not abortion. The issue is murder. Let him pay the price. However, in my opinion, murdering an abortion Dr. is no worse than murdering any other person.

Imthachamp · #13 09-01-2003, 03:05 PM

yah, but other people dont kill babies.

sugar and spice · #14 09-01-2003, 03:09 PM

OMG, Blaine, why are you so depressing? You always bring up topics like this! Why can't we talk about Queer Eye for the Straight Guy? That show is SOOO hilarious.

Anyway, I don't believe in the death penalty, but I don't think this guy should be treated any differently than anybody else. Though one might wonder why he wasn't suspected of being insane?

damasa · #15 09-01-2003, 03:27 PM

I used to support the death penalty but my views on it have changed. It's hard for me in this situation though because I feel like Paul Hill should be punished for killing the doctor and his bodyguard. IMO there is no justification for these murders.

I almost feel inclined to say that I can't wait until he is executed. It's sickening how some of pro-life supporters feel that killing abortion doctors is ok, when they are against the killing of a fetus. Man, fetus, life or death, it makes no sense to me. Notice I also said "some" because I know that Paul Hill doesn't express the views of all pro-life activists.

Now you might be able to see the bigger issues(s) with this case.

On one side you have pro-choice liberals that are against the death penalty who may or may not support the execution of Paul Hill depending on what issue they feel stronger about.

On the other side you have pro-life conservatives who are in support of the death penalty, possibly not wanting this man to die because he killed for the "pro-life" cause.

There are so many bigger issues, it's insane.