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About this quote

What does it mean?
Supporting the death penalty requires accepting a state powerful enough to kill its citizens.
In plain terms
Death penalty supporters must agree that the government has the right to kill people.
What can you take from it?
Accepting the death penalty means accepting state killing rights.

Where it applies

  • human rights advocacy
  • legal debate
  • ethics

Putting it to work

  • oppose capital punishment
  • question state authority

Questions to consider

  • What rights should the state have?
  • Is state killing ever justified?

Another view

Some believe the state has a duty to punish crimes severely.

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