Georgia Republican Backs Castration For Child Rapists

by Andre Walker, Sun Aug 03, 2008 at 05:30:37 AM EDT

Georgia Congressman Paul Broun (R - Athens) introduced two pieces of legislation in May that would allow for the death penalty to be imposed on individuals convicted of rape of a person under 16 years of age and would also allow for the castration of convicted child rapists.

The two bills, which were both introduced as proposed constitutional amendments, seek to exempt the death penalty and castration from the cruel and unusual punishment clause in the U.S. Constitution.

While few would disagree that the penalties for those convicted of harming our society's most vulnerable citizens should be harsh, castration or death may not be the road mainstream America wants to go down.

H.J.RES.83 and H.J.RES.82 both sit in the House Judiciary Committee.

Tags: Georgia, Paul Broun (all tags)

Comments

6 Comments

Sort by

permalink

Re: Georgia Republican Backs Castration

I was on the fence until I reread it and realized they were constitutional amendments (and would have to be by definition). What a stupid plan. Yeah, he's not for sex education, kids watching movies with the f-word in them or even pornography for soldiers (his bill), but inserting text about child rape and castration into the US constitution is just fine.

by vcalzone 2008-08-03 05:45AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Georgia

I am fine with castration of repeat offenders (actual child rape, not necessarily just molestation), and even then it would be discretionary.

I am not for just leaping to doing it, but there is a tiny slice of humanity wherein this may be the only thing short of death that works.

My views aren't hardened on this one either. The debate about chemical castration vs. real castration, for example.

by Reaper0Bot0 2008-08-03 05:55AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Georgia

Based on the topic at hand....the presence of 'tiny slice' in your comment made me chuckle.

I agree with one's views not being hardened....on a completely personal level, I would have no problem AT ALL with castrating someone who has raped a child, be it chemical or surgical. If I knew the child, I'd volunteer to make the snip.

But, emotional reaction aside...the real life application is where things start to get a bit squishy and questions arise.
A constitutional amendment? Not too keen on that.
What about female rapists?(and, yes, though far fewer in numbers they do exist...and are equally harmful) Equal time for equal crime has it's merits.

In the end, the way our legal/prison system works now, I think I agree with MS01 Indie down below. Life in prison, no parole.

As to kids under the of 16 being given the death penalty. No way, no how. I find that appalling.

by Kysen 2008-08-03 07:30AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Georgia Republican Backs Castration For Child

I'm all for life in prison if it's handled right. There are no children in prison. Besides, we all know how child molesters are treated by their fellow inmates. A prison sentence can be a death sentence. If not, it may make a child molester wish he had gotten the death sentence.

Life sentences without parole satisfy two things. Removes the danger from society and punishes the perp.

by MS01 Indie 2008-08-03 06:48AM | 0 recs

permalink

Castration is cruel and unusual punishment

and IMO, is much worse than death. When you castrate a man, you take away essential what makes him even biologically a man. Thats what they do in middle eastern countries. Whats next? Penis amputation? Castration is going way to far. I think rape is rape is rape, and should be treated as such, be it male or female, child or adult.

by Lakrosse 2008-08-03 08:06AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Castration is cruel and unusual punishment

Respectfully, this is about the only time I fall in with the "won't someone please think of the children" crowd. An adult woman has a chance to fight off a rapist. So does an adult man (yes, it happens, men are raped too of course).

Most children never have a chance. Given the incredible disparity in agency I simply cannot abide this sort of thing. An adult raping an adult should not be a life sentence (necessarily anyway), whereas the actual rape of a child should be such that we do not allow any posibility of recidivism. How exactly we achieve that is up for debate.

by Reaper0Bot0 2008-08-03 08:22AM | 0 recs