Quote Originally Posted by Pindar
I am not making a legal argument. The use of 'right' implies moral force. Are you challenging that the state has the right to kill?

Do you really think I am arguing for arbitrary killing? Has anything I've posted suggested the state can simply remove any and all at its leisure? The point revolves around base notions of justice and civil mandate. This should be obvious. With capital punishment I have argued that if there are such cases where the guilty are considered beyond reprieve and thereby would not be allowed to return to society then death is the proper conclusion. The simple working example has been cases of murder where a base equity can be demonstrated. I think I have been consistent in arguing this point.
You weren't arguing for arbitrary killing by the state, but you did make the case for it in your arguments with the notion that the state has the unquestionable right to kill

I have not argued imprisonment alone equals torture. I have argued that life in prison where there is no possible return is cruel and unusual punishment. I have also argued that in such cases death is more humane and proper.
Were it life in solitary confinement, I might agree that it's torture- but lifetime solitary confinement fell out of popular practice long ago as far as I know. I argue that prisons should be harsher, but I don't see any benefit to driving prisoners insane in absolute solitude- nor do I see any benefit to justify killing them.

Does this mean those who served in the Continental Army shouldn't have fired their weapons and thereby 'forced death on others for (their) principles?' Better they simply sacrificed themselves?
So we're back to this again? Killing on the battlefield is not equivalent to killing defenseless prisoners. I can't honestly believe you don't see a difference.

#Given recent confusion: no. I'm not justifying vigilantism here. Killing is a state authorized function.
Based on that, we would have no disagreement. But I part ways when you claim that a state has an absolute right to kill and that it is moral for a state to do so regardless of the circumstances.