Capital Punishment
The recent executions in Iraq of Saddam Hussein and others made headline news in newspapers around the world. Of course, the majority of the governments of enlightened nations expressed their disapproval of the death sentence, while generally admitting that the sovereign Iraqi government has the right to make its own decisions about internal matters.
Iraq is a country being torn apart by tribal and religious infighting, not to mention being raped for oil by you-know-who. Perhaps it is too much to expect their government to adhere to our principle of extending basic human rights to all, even those who commit atrocious crimes. Japan, however, is another matter and I really cannot understand why the death sentence continues to be dealt out here.
I have heard the emotional argument that knowing that the monster who murdered their child helps parents to overcome their grief by assuaging their desire for revenge, but I find it unconvincing. The law is not there to make people feel better about criminal acts, it is there to dispense justice in a way that protects and creates respect for the values of society.
In a way, I think a life in prison is a heavier sentence than a hanging, and gives the guilty party plenty of time to meditate on their actions. I hope that Japan will join other enlightened nations around the world in ending the execution of convicted criminals. Is it far too naive to think that such a move might lead to greater respect for human life in all areas of society?
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