The Tudors did start in a bloody way--it was Henry VIII who invented the practice of drawing and quartering alleged traitors. However, by the time of Elizabeth I, the use of the death penalty began slowly to taper off--for example, Elizabeth ended the burning of "heretics"--and by the 18th century, although the death penalty remained on the books for dozens of offenses, juries began to refuse to convict in death penalty offenses, which led the authorities to substitute "transportation" to penal colonies such as what became the American state of Georgia. At the same time, England abolished torture, as did the Netherlands. In the next century, England restricted the use of the death penalty to cases of murder. Finally, after most European countries abolished the death penalty in reaction to Nazi atrocities (if you visit Germany, you will see memorials which mention that one of the Nazi crimes against humanity was wholesale use of the death penalty, even for non-ethnic and non-political reasons), and the UK finally got rid of it in the 1970s. That left the US as one of the few developed countries (Japan and China being the others) still practicing capital punishment.
On Feb 22, 9:48 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > Let's not forget Spain's bloodthirst in the New World against > indigenous tribes- for God and gold.//As for Tudor England, I think of > heads on pikes the drawing and quartering plus all the other tortures > plus the beheadings.And the Star Chamber, etc. But then, I recently > read Rome cruxified 6,000 slaves that rebelled- Spartacus. > > On Feb 21, 1:34 pm, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Tudor England was indeed no picnic, rigsy. In terms of contemporary > > comparison however, it was one of the more peaceful, law-abiding > > civilized places. For most of the 16th. Century, Italy was chaotic and > > the Holy Roman Empire (centred on Germany) was spasming in the throes > > of the Reformation and the immense amount of conflict and bloodshed it > > brought in its wake. France spent most of the century in Civil/ > > Religious war (the St. Bartholemew's Day massacre being just one > > spectacular highlight) and Russia was experiencing its rather painful > > first leap into modernity under the benevolent rule of Ivan the > > Terrible. Most of South Eastern Europe was under Turkish control, > > although that might have been advantageous for much of the > > populations, given the alternatives. Ironically, the only other part > > of Europe where things were generally peaceful and law-abiding was > > the great enemy (for most of the period) of Tudor England, Spain (and > > Portugal). As long as you weren't a Jew or didn't run foul of the > > Inquisition for some reason, of course! > > > On 21 Feb., 13:09, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Religion has probably executed more than politics. Tudor England was > > > gruesome. > > > > On Feb 19, 4:46 pm, fiddler <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Traitor to what? Disagreement is the most common charge of being a > > > > traitor, do you really want that to be a reason for why you are > > > > executed? Statistically you will disagree with those in power more > > > > often than not. Throughout history, those disagreements are the reason > > > > that people are executed for treason, not some criminal act. > > > > > On Feb 19, 2:36 pm, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Right on Rigs! People wonder why recidivism is so high. I don't > > > > > wonder at all considering many of these folks don't live near as well > > > > > when they have to fend for themselves. Too many want to get caught so > > > > > they can go back to the routine. The death penalty should be reserved > > > > > for the lowest scum bags on the earth. Career rapists, sadistic > > > > > murderers and, of course, traitors and terrorists. > > > > > > dj > > > > > > On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 4:10 AM, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > You mean the animal kingdom that we have systematically slaughtered? > > > > > > Or the human kingdom that plays war and violence on such a regular > > > > > > basis? Or the vegetable kingdom that we have mutated and deprived of > > > > > > healthy soil and water? //I am for the death penalty for serious > > > > > > human > > > > > > crimes based on serious evidence. Prison is turning into a Holiday > > > > > > Inn > > > > > > with three meals a day, fresh laundry, etc. plus it is big business > > > > > > like nursing homes. Why can't prisoners shovel snow and weed gardens > > > > > > chain gang style in striped p.j.'s for the non-criminal citizens > > > > > > instead of enjoying their hiatus? > > > > > > > On Feb 18, 3:19 am, Lee <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > >> This is a worry Fids. Not only the great apes, but all of the > > > > > >> animal > > > > > >> kingdom. Our bio diversity is much needed, until such a time as we > > > > > >> get to grips with genetic manipulation. > > > > > > >> On 18 Feb, 04:25, fiddler <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > >> > sorry slip, I'm not a theist. I don't give up because a bronze > > > > > >> > age > > > > > >> > goatherder said so or take some schizophrenics word for complete > > > > > >> > knowledge of "truth." I did hear that a oneness said something or > > > > > >> > other to a guy named firm-palm-touch... of course that particular > > > > > >> > theist won't publish the idea in a peer-reviewed journal... > > > > > > >> > On Feb 17, 7:52 pm, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > >> > > It doesn't really matter fidd, we're only heading toward a > > > > > >> > > nuclear > > > > > >> > > holocaust anyway and the threat of such is currently > > > > > >> > > escalating. > > > > > >> > > Haven't you heard? It's already documented in the space-time > > > > > >> > > continuum; we just haven't received the bulletin yet. > > > > > > >> > > On Feb 17, 9:38 pm, fiddler <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > >> > > > Possibly the only true death penalty/unforgivable crime > > > > > >> > > > category: the > > > > > >> > > > poaching of fellow primates and destruction of habitat for > > > > > >> > > > our > > > > > >> > > > cousins. How long until we are the only african ape? Too > > > > > >> > > > damn long for > > > > > >> > > > poachers and witch-doctors. > > > > > > >> > > >http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/science/02/17/endangered.species/index.h... > > > > > > >> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > >> - Show quoted text - > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > > > > Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. > > > > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > > > > [email protected]. > > > > > > For more options, visit this group > > > > > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.-Hidequotedtext - > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. 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