Being a moral realist I see normative ethics as a search of the truth about our obligations and a search of explanation; the idea is that moral principles can help us to a moral explanation of our particular obligations.

I am a left winger, thought.

The kind of values for which I was supposed to kill, such as democracy and national independence, were better served, I thought, through non-violent action.

It is hard to tell if capital punishment has such an effect. And even if, in some contexts it has (such as in the American South with a very high incidence of murder), this effect may very well go away if a decent welfare state was replaced for the existing social order.

There are some particular moral truths that I believe we have access to (such as the one not to inflict pain on a sentient being for no reason).

I am indeed a hedonistic utilitarian. I have defended hedonistic utilitarianism for quite a while.

Are there any good arguments in defence of moral nihilism? I think not.