It seems to me that anyone who commits murder - mass or otherwise - is insane.

[Stinky The Clown]

I use the word "insane" in the layman's sense. Which is what I am. A layman.

The spouse who murders the other spouse and the other spouse's lover when caught enflagrante is likely not all there at the time of the murder.

The person who plots the murder of a rival and then carries it out can't possibly be sane.

The bank robber who shoots to death the pursuing cops was, at least at the moment he pulled the trigger, not in his right mind.

And then there are the real sickos.

None of this is to excuse these actions. The best of them is horrible and they get worse from there.

This is about the death penalty. What kind of society kills as a way of meting out justice?

[DJ13]

1. I've said the same for years

If someone commits murder, but they are judged sane, its like saying murder is a sane act.

[PDJane]

2. Playing devil's advocate, I do believe that there are times when murder is a sane act.

[LisaL]

3. Why stop with murder?

[hlthe2b]

4. But then, there is self-defense and killing in war. Are these acts sane?

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Both have moral/societal/cultural "absolutions" built into their fundamental definitions

Self defense is never deemed wrong.

War may or may not be wrong, but the warriors are not the same as the warring powers.

To commit murder, one has to go against moral/societal/cultural conventions.

[geckosfeet]

6. Have to agree.

But sometimes it is a matter of perspective - a killing in self defense from one perspective is a murder from another. Both positions may be accurate and not mutually exclusive.

[malaise]

7. OK a partner in a marriage calculates that divorce is too

expensive and he/she is not prepared to give up his/her wealth. What if said partner rationalizes that murder is better than poverty.

Now if said partner does not examine the rational possibility of ending up in prison or worse, then you have a point, because sane, rational people should evaluate all sides and consider the worst possible consequences.

I've never understood violence let alone the type that ends up with people dead.

[Stinky The Clown]

11. A person who would so calculatingly evaluate the pros and cons of murder isn't "right."

[LisaL]

13. People have been killing each other from the beginning of time.

[Stinky The Clown]

14. Some people have been nuts from the beginning of time.

[obamanut2012]

21. They are not mentally ill, they are not insane

They are sociopaths.

[Stinky The Clown]

23. Sociopaths are not normal people

They're insane (by the definition of "insane" as used/defined in the OP.

[slackmaster]

8. K&R for brain-dead obviousness

This is about the death penalty. What kind of society kills as a way of meting out justice?

A primitive society, like the United States of America, or Japan.

[NashvilleLefty]

9. Agreed. nt

[PDJane]

10. Sane or not, killing in the name of the state is murder too, and yes,

That's the point.

[kestrel91316]

12. Some murderers are abnormal; some are clinically insane.

And there's everything in between.

The 9/11 terrorists were not insane, IMHO. They were malicious. There is a huge difference.

[Stinky The Clown]

15. In their minds, they were at war. See my comment about war, above, in a reply

[woo me with science]

16. Lieutenant Columbo asked a murderer this very question.

Question at 4:00

[Gman]

17. This is the idea that made me against the death penalty

Killing another human is not a rational act unless it is in war. Then it's the commanders and profiteers that are insane.

I'm with you in every aspect of what you describe.

[Archae]

18. No. Absolutely not.

Were Tim McVeigh and Eric Rudolph "insane?" Hell no.

They were dedicated to their respective causes.

And Holmes is dedicated to his cause.
Himself.

"Look at me! Look at me! Look at me!"

[weonlycut]

19. not in certain situations

I call it cruelty and an animal act to kill anyone. If they are insane then what about the murders which are planned and over think ed. they are willingly doing this utilizing all their senses and resources. But some murders are sign of courage as for the soldiers, any security person, police officer etc. So killing an innocent is a cruel and insane act. no doubt.

[obamanut2012]

20. Aren't the mentally ill stigmatized enough in this country???

Why conflate them with people who are sociopaths? How is that fair?

[Stinky The Clown]

22. I find your take on my post quite amazing.

[indepat]

24. Vengeance is almost the exclusive prerogative of God and the good ole USA