Re: Making people passive NOT!

Michael S. Lorrey (retroman@turbont.net)
Thu, 07 Oct 1999 18:54:06 -0400

Gina Miller wrote:
>
> Cynthia wrote:
> "Shock snippet"
> >I do have one rather practical idea. Do something to temporarily disable
> their legs,
> >so that they will be confined to a wheel chair until they are 30. This
> would be much
> >cheaper and less damaging to them, then sending them to prison. They would
> still be
> >in society, but unable to do very much damage to other people.
>
> In Islam people get hands choped off for stealing, but here in America we
> have a constitution that state's it is illegal to conduct "Cruel and unusual
> punishment." (Disclaimer here-that I am not expressing 100% support for all
> American guidelines- but can at least feel safe knowing that in a wrongful
> or alleged crime, one may perhaps complete undeserved time, and not be
> maimed for life.) Another point, criminals do come in many forms, (including
> wheelchairs).
> Nanogirl
> (The girl who was in a wheelchair last year)

Yes, but what is cruel and what is unusual? If you punish all theives equally by chopping off their hands, its not unusual, is it? And compared to a cruel murder, merely crippling someone for life is a far greater kindness, so its not as cruel as what the criminal did now, is it? If being crippled for life is not cruel for a parent to impart on their children with inherited handicaps, then its certainly not cruel to use it as a means of restraint. The term 'cruel and unusual punishment' IMHO is too frequently used by the squeamish to get out of taking responsiblity to do what needs to be done to punish the wicked and attain justice for the victimized.

Mike Lorrey