Just for future reference the point is not what or who batman is in terms of image, morals, etc. The question is if YOU were suddenly in Batman's position and had the opportunity to kill him would you? From what I perceive some of you are interpreting as "suddenly I'm batman, therefore I am everything batman including his morals."
Well,
I really meant what I said.
Obviously, I am not Batman per se, but in some ways I think
like him, including not wanting to kill, particularly not wanting to kill the Joker.
Surely, it made things easier if he was dead and maybe it would be even "just", however I would not want to decide what is "right" or "wrong" when I was in Batman's position.
Moreover, I don't believe in the saying "an eye for an eye" - killing someone because they killed many others.
Sometimes you have to transcend mere "fairness", as Harvey Dent's (in the Nolan film) superficial reason for killing was - the real one was simply revenge. In regards to "bringing justice" I believe one should
not include passionate emotions of revenge.
People who believe in the death penalty seem so "cold" and "determined" but in truth they feel highly hurt and are frightened when they know of people like the Joker "who do not get what they deserve".
As the people who were killed by the Joker do not "deserved" to be killed, so does
not the Joker.
No living being deserves to be killed - nor do they "deserve" to be alive.