Recently, I came across an answer whereupon a user stated that, in their opinion, all criminals needed to be (in their words) annihilated.
My problem with this statement, is that it comes across as completely uneducated. A criminal, by definition, is someone who steps outside the boundaries set by the law. By this very definition, all of the people listed below, have, at some point or another (including today) been criminals:
Homosexuals
Heretics
Protestants
Drug users
Jews
Catholics
Adulterers
Fornicators
Those who Speed in Automobiles
Communists
Apostates
Underage Drinkers and Smokers
Those Juveniles Who Break Curfew Laws
Draft Dodgers
Muslims
Clearly, none of these people deserve to be "annihilated" for these "crimes". So, my question is, at which point does a criminal deserve to die?
Update:Of course I know that religions are protected! That's not what my question said. My question clearly states AT SOME POINT IN TIME OR ANOTHER, meaning at some point in history, not just the 235 years that the US has been a nation (or the 220 years of the Bill of Rights).
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
A criminal deserves to die when killing them prevents an immediate and deadly attack on another person.
None of those mentioned, of course, deserve to die.
Sad to see that none of your other answers understood the point.
The point where a person should be killed is when they have killed and raped a young child or serial killers but the death penalty is the easy way out they should have to a rot in a jail cell. None of the people listed in this deserve to die...
I think all criminals sentenced to life without parole might as well be executed. I mean whats the point. I wouldn't want to live in prison, screw that, I rather die.
When it is absolutely provable that they commited a homicide or some other seriously offensive act (burning, maiming, disfiguring another, etc), AND their rights were not violated in coming to this conclusion.
When they take another life in a heinous fashion, and it is proven absolutely that they are guilty.
You do know that religions are protected by the first Amendment?
why don't I see gays and lesbians up there?