Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Capital Punishment
Capital punishment refers to the execution of convicted criminals for severe crimes such as murder and drug trafficking. What follows are my views on the issue.
I agree that such punishment is perfectly alright even in today's society. One of the most important reasons is that the death penalty does not only serve to punish the convicted, but also acts as a deterrence to others and warn them of the possible consequences that their illegal acts might bring about. It's purpose is to let people think twice about what they are about to do and what the consequence will be. If the punishment is only life sentence, people might think that it's alright to lose their freedom for the sake of accomplishing their objective.
One might argue that a death sentence is taking away a person's right to live but fact is that life sentence doesn't only deprive them of their freedom, but also their pride and they could not stay closed to their loved ones, such mental torture is more inhumane than a death penalty which reduces the length of pain the criminal has to suffer. Even if the criminal is released after showing signs of repent and good behaviour, people in the outside society will view them through tainted glasses and they will also feel despised. Such mental torture, just to be humane by keeping them alive, will make them suffer more in the long run.
It is undeniable that such criminals are given a death penalty for a reason, take murder for example, if the criminal has taken the right of another person to live, then the law has the authority to take away the right to live from the criminal. Though the victim can never come back to life through such acts, but the convicted must be punished in some ways, if everyone starts to get emotional and only think about how each individual as a human should be treated and how law should not violate the rights of such criminals, then no one in this world would be convicted of any crimes since we're all humans and we have our own rights. Rights are to be used to protect the innocent, not the convicted. Law exists to protect the rights of the society and to maintain peace and order, not for an individual alone. One must be able to distinguish people who deserve to claim their rights from people who have chosen to forsake their rights.
However the law is not perfect and should pass the verdict case by case, and not in general. For example, a criminal who convicted murder should be given death sentence, but perhaps criminals involved in drug trafficking should receive a lighter sentence such as a longer jail term rather than a death sentence straightaway. Such penalties will allow the criminals to repent and reflect and make an effort to change themselves, and if they show signs of improvement, then be allowed to be released. And if they make the mistake and commit the crime second time, should they be given death sentence as it's a sign that they have not learn their mistakes and never will.
Law can be humane when the criminals deserve it, but capital punishment must exist to serve as a warning to all rather than giving them a reason to commit crimes and to punish those who deserves it.
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credits goes to the makers, not me
8:07 PM
If The Rain Could Bind The Heaven And Earth Who In All Eternity Would Never Meet, Would It Be Able To Bind 2 Hearts?
