Summary
Donald Trump criticized President Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates, calling them “violent criminals” and wishing them to go to hell.
Trump also took the opportunity to sarcastically wish a “Merry Christmas” to Chinese troops in the Panama Canal and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trump’s post also included references to his previous attempts to purchase Greenland and his suggestion that Wayne Gretzky run for Canadian Prime Minister.
Punishment is a behaviorist intervention. It doesn’t rely on the concept of free will. In fact, it depends on the lack of free will to make any sense at all. If there were free will, people would be able to change without punishment.
But killing someone isn’t a punishment. It’s a deterrent. It’s not designed to change behavior. It’s designed to end it.
Carrying out a punishment doesn’t make much sense as the person couldn’t have done otherwise but not carrying it out sends the signal to others that actions don’t have consequences and thus the deterrence stops working. That’s why we have to “punish” people for breaking the law. Not because it makes a difference to that specific individual but it sends a signal to others.