Here are the list of the comments I've made on others blogs:
Leigh - Abortion
Max - Religion does more harm for us than good
Mala - Manga as a form of literacy
Courtney - Desensitization
Zahra - Imposing gay marriage on religion institution
"Capital Punishment is so called death penalty - Execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of a criminal offense." - Encyclopedia Britannica
Saturday, 11 May 2013
Friday, 10 May 2013
Christina Fan's Blog: Capital Punishment - Need or Not?
Capital punishment seems to be an eternal debate between human rights and legal cosmos. Personally, I support death penalty in terms of national security, for example terrorists and serial killings. The other cases, in which I think death penalty is necessary, are child sexual abuse, including rapist. And I believe capital punishment has deterrent effect on the society.
When I talk about those criminals, who need to be punished by capital punishment, I’m not talking about the cases, in which people steal a loaf of bread for living. What I’m talking about is a massacre of innocent people; a cold blood murdering for “fun” or “revenge” and repeatedly sexual abuses on children.
Some people might think capital punishment as a punishment for death. And they said “If you hang someone, they suffer no more.” This is not what I meant. We are not living in the old ancient time talking about “an eye to an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”, things just don’t work out this way these days. In my own opinion, capital punishment is a symbol of justice. I do believe that life is valuable. However, I can hardly find a good reason to persuade myself why those terrorist who committed hundreds of innocents deserve to live.
The most famous one happened on 11 Sep 2001 in US. The crashing of hijacked planes into World Trade Centre caused over 3000 death and 8900 injured, including more than 400 police officers and firefighter.
In 2004, 10 bombs packed with nails and dynamite exploded on 4 trains heading into central Madrid in the morning. This attack made 191 people killed and nearly 1800 injured, which was the worst Islamist terrorist in European history.
What kind of punishment is a proper one who is responsible for the death of hundred people? Some people may argue that these Islam believers are doing this for their faith of religion. From the terrorists' perspectives maybe they do have a reason to believe they were doing these things for good. Then how about are the motives behind cold blooded murders or serial killers.
On January 9, 2008, 22-year-old university student, Sophie Elliott, was killed by her ex-boyfriend who’s her teacher as well, Clayton Robert Weatherston, in her Dunedin home. She was stabbed to death over 216 times with a knife and scissors. And he mutilated her body in “a calm and collected manner” at the end. On July 22, 2009, Clayton Robert Weatherson was found guilty in the Christchurch High Court and he was sentenced on a minimum of 18 years prison.
I was so surprised when I knew his trail was an 18-year imprisons not even life-time. After such a brutal attack to a vulnerable woman, he conducted the mutilation of her body. And when he was asked about his action in the Court, he kept answering “I don’t remember”. I can understand defensive killing or violent impulses leading to murder. But the way Mr. Weatherston did was completely heartless, cruel and made the victim suffering on purpose. This is definitely intolerant for me.
One of the debatable reasons to abolish the death penalty is people believe it against human rights. I believe life is equally precious for everyone. Therefore, who can defence the rights of the victims who was brutally killed, like Sophie and other people in serial murder cases. In 2005, Dennis Rader confessed guilty to 10 murders, including entire Otero family and six women. I can hardly find humanity in these murders. When a people without humanity inside, are we still consider him deserve the human rights to live after he committed the killing or remained the threatening to the society.
In most European countries, the maximum penalty in legal system is life time imprison. For instance, in the United Kingdom, capital punishment was abolished in the 20th century. However, when I looked at the List of Serial Killers by Country, I found an ironic fact that United Kingdom is clearly the champion among all the countries around the world. It is unquestionable that human society needs a legal system to provide a systematic, orderly, and predictable mechanism for resolving disagreements. In another words, the purpose to set up laws is to secure the society’s security. The reason I support capital punishment for repeated child sexual abuses is there are completely unforgettable excuses in these cases and I believe death penalty has its deterrent effect on it.
Some people argued sexual offences doesn’t deserve to death penalty. Here I want to point out that the trauma effects after the abuses are incomparable. These effects can be as devastating in a life time. As one of the most vulnerable group in human society, I believe capital punishment has an efficient protection function. Does death penalty have deterrent effect on society? Yes, it does. H. Naci Mocan, an economist at Louisiana State University, performed some studies in the past decade. The results showed that the murder rates fall in U.S. when executions rise. When corporal punishment is no longer an effective deterrent, DP seems the only efficient way to ensure the society safe. As one of the lowest criminal rate countries in the world, Singapore is famous for its canning punishment. However, execution is carried out. Joseph Tan’s, a Singapore lawyer, who was a volunteer with the Roman Catholic Prison Ministry for more than five year, made a statement in the Strait Times, a local newspaper, the reasons Singapore society needs the death penalty. During his interactions with a variety of prisoners, he witnessed the process that canning gradually lost its deterrent function. Although caning is very painful, many tough offenders are prepared to be caned again if their prison terms can be shortened in return, which means the only punishment that those criminals are truly frightened of is the death penalty.
Humans are sinful by nature. Abolishing the death penalty in these cases will show mercy but bring injustice to human society. And in terms of life imprisonment, the cost of public resources will last in the long term as well.
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References
When I talk about those criminals, who need to be punished by capital punishment, I’m not talking about the cases, in which people steal a loaf of bread for living. What I’m talking about is a massacre of innocent people; a cold blood murdering for “fun” or “revenge” and repeatedly sexual abuses on children.
Some people might think capital punishment as a punishment for death. And they said “If you hang someone, they suffer no more.” This is not what I meant. We are not living in the old ancient time talking about “an eye to an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”, things just don’t work out this way these days. In my own opinion, capital punishment is a symbol of justice. I do believe that life is valuable. However, I can hardly find a good reason to persuade myself why those terrorist who committed hundreds of innocents deserve to live.
The most famous one happened on 11 Sep 2001 in US. The crashing of hijacked planes into World Trade Centre caused over 3000 death and 8900 injured, including more than 400 police officers and firefighter.
In 2004, 10 bombs packed with nails and dynamite exploded on 4 trains heading into central Madrid in the morning. This attack made 191 people killed and nearly 1800 injured, which was the worst Islamist terrorist in European history.
What kind of punishment is a proper one who is responsible for the death of hundred people? Some people may argue that these Islam believers are doing this for their faith of religion. From the terrorists' perspectives maybe they do have a reason to believe they were doing these things for good. Then how about are the motives behind cold blooded murders or serial killers.
On January 9, 2008, 22-year-old university student, Sophie Elliott, was killed by her ex-boyfriend who’s her teacher as well, Clayton Robert Weatherston, in her Dunedin home. She was stabbed to death over 216 times with a knife and scissors. And he mutilated her body in “a calm and collected manner” at the end. On July 22, 2009, Clayton Robert Weatherson was found guilty in the Christchurch High Court and he was sentenced on a minimum of 18 years prison.I was so surprised when I knew his trail was an 18-year imprisons not even life-time. After such a brutal attack to a vulnerable woman, he conducted the mutilation of her body. And when he was asked about his action in the Court, he kept answering “I don’t remember”. I can understand defensive killing or violent impulses leading to murder. But the way Mr. Weatherston did was completely heartless, cruel and made the victim suffering on purpose. This is definitely intolerant for me.
One of the debatable reasons to abolish the death penalty is people believe it against human rights. I believe life is equally precious for everyone. Therefore, who can defence the rights of the victims who was brutally killed, like Sophie and other people in serial murder cases. In 2005, Dennis Rader confessed guilty to 10 murders, including entire Otero family and six women. I can hardly find humanity in these murders. When a people without humanity inside, are we still consider him deserve the human rights to live after he committed the killing or remained the threatening to the society.
In most European countries, the maximum penalty in legal system is life time imprison. For instance, in the United Kingdom, capital punishment was abolished in the 20th century. However, when I looked at the List of Serial Killers by Country, I found an ironic fact that United Kingdom is clearly the champion among all the countries around the world. It is unquestionable that human society needs a legal system to provide a systematic, orderly, and predictable mechanism for resolving disagreements. In another words, the purpose to set up laws is to secure the society’s security. The reason I support capital punishment for repeated child sexual abuses is there are completely unforgettable excuses in these cases and I believe death penalty has its deterrent effect on it.
Some people argued sexual offences doesn’t deserve to death penalty. Here I want to point out that the trauma effects after the abuses are incomparable. These effects can be as devastating in a life time. As one of the most vulnerable group in human society, I believe capital punishment has an efficient protection function. Does death penalty have deterrent effect on society? Yes, it does. H. Naci Mocan, an economist at Louisiana State University, performed some studies in the past decade. The results showed that the murder rates fall in U.S. when executions rise. When corporal punishment is no longer an effective deterrent, DP seems the only efficient way to ensure the society safe. As one of the lowest criminal rate countries in the world, Singapore is famous for its canning punishment. However, execution is carried out. Joseph Tan’s, a Singapore lawyer, who was a volunteer with the Roman Catholic Prison Ministry for more than five year, made a statement in the Strait Times, a local newspaper, the reasons Singapore society needs the death penalty. During his interactions with a variety of prisoners, he witnessed the process that canning gradually lost its deterrent function. Although caning is very painful, many tough offenders are prepared to be caned again if their prison terms can be shortened in return, which means the only punishment that those criminals are truly frightened of is the death penalty.
Humans are sinful by nature. Abolishing the death penalty in these cases will show mercy but bring injustice to human society. And in terms of life imprisonment, the cost of public resources will last in the long term as well.
------------------------------------------------------------------
References
9/11 Attacks.
(2013). The History Channel website.
Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks.
Bihary, A. The Dennis Rader - BTK Serial killer
Confessions. Retrieved from http://aboutserialkillers.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/the-dennis-rader-btk-serial-killer.html.
Chin, J. T. P.
(2013). Why death penalty is needed. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/why-death-penalty-needed-20130108.
Clayton Weatherston guilty of murder. (2009). Retrieved from http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/clayton-weatherston-guilty-murder-2860987.
Hamilos, P.
(2007). The worst Islamist attack in
European history. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/oct/31/spain.
Liptak, A.
(2007). Does Death Penalty Save Lives? A
New Debate. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/us/18deter.html?pagewanted=all&_r=3&.
Milner, G.
(2013). Capital Punishment, If You Hang
Someone, They Suffer No More. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/gareth-milner/philpotts-capital-punishment_b_3014210.html.
Sophie Elliott killing: Weatherston
'calm, collected'. (2009).
Retrieved from http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/2530634/Sophie-Elliott-killing-Weatherston-calm-collected.
Thursday, 4 April 2013
Christina Fan's 10 Links Related To Capital Punishment
Website: The New York Times
Title: "Does Death Penalty Save Lives? A New Debate"
Date: 18 Nov 2007
Country: US - yes and no - deterrent effect
In this article, most people shown that personally they do not agree with death penalty, however the social studies proved that capital punishment did decrease the rate of crime and have deterrent effent.
Website: The New York Times
Title: "Death Penalty Is Sought in Shooting at Colorado Theater"
Date: 1 Apr 2013
Country: US-agree
“For James Eagan Holmes, justice is death,” This recent news article stated that as a cold-blooded killer , death penalty is doing the job which is bring justice back to the society.
Website: The Huffington Post
Title: "Capital Punishment, If You Hang Someone, They Suffer No More"
Date: 04 Apr 2013
Country: UK-against
This article argued that after the government took someone's life who committed a heinous crime, the only people who keep suffering would be those effected by the original crime in the first place. Death cannot bring back the life.
Website: Wikipedia
Title: "List of serial killers by country"
This is the only wikipedia link I've used in my blog. It is anonymous but give me a brief view of all the killing cases happened worldwide. A good reference resouce.
Website: The New Zealand Herald
Title: "Seven beheaded in Saudi Arabia"
Date: 14 Mar 2013
Country: NZ-against
The oil-rich kingdom follows a strict implementation of Islamic law, or Shariah, under which people convicted of murder, rape or armed robbery can be executed, usually by sword.
Saudi Arabia has executed 23 people so far this year, including the seven men on Wednesday. Last year it executed 76 people and in 2011, 79.
Also, several people were reported crucified in Saudi Arabia last year. Human rights groups have condemned crucifixions, including cases in which people were beheaded and then crucified. In 2009, Amnesty International condemned such executions as "the ultimate form of cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment."
Title: "Does Death Penalty Save Lives? A New Debate"
Date: 18 Nov 2007
Country: US - yes and no - deterrent effect
In this article, most people shown that personally they do not agree with death penalty, however the social studies proved that capital punishment did decrease the rate of crime and have deterrent effent.
Website: The New York Times
Title: "Death Penalty Is Sought in Shooting at Colorado Theater"
Date: 1 Apr 2013
Country: US-agree
“For James Eagan Holmes, justice is death,” This recent news article stated that as a cold-blooded killer , death penalty is doing the job which is bring justice back to the society.
Website: The Huffington Post
Title: "Capital Punishment, If You Hang Someone, They Suffer No More"
Date: 04 Apr 2013
Country: UK-against
This article argued that after the government took someone's life who committed a heinous crime, the only people who keep suffering would be those effected by the original crime in the first place. Death cannot bring back the life.
Website: Wikipedia
Title: "List of serial killers by country"
This is the only wikipedia link I've used in my blog. It is anonymous but give me a brief view of all the killing cases happened worldwide. A good reference resouce.
Website: The Straits Times
Date: 8 Jan 2013
Country: SG-agree
A point from a Singapore lawyer, who served in the Roman Catholic Prison Ministry as a volunteer for more than 5 years. He insisted that when the fear of caning is no longer an effective deterrent, death sentence is needed to ensure that our society remains safe.
Website: The Straits Times
Date: 12 Jan 2013
Country: SG-agree
Another point of view from social economical perspective. Abolishing the death penalty will show mercy to a segment of convicted people, but do injustice to society. A lighter sentence, such as life imprisonment, for heinous crimes could put undue strain on our state and public resources in the long term.
Website: Child Abuse Blog
Title: "Child abuse effects"
Date: 2013
Country: NZ
A voilence and abuse prevention educator indicator how does sexual abuse effects on children adn youth in emotional, physical and behavioural ways.
Website: History
Date: 2013
Country: US
Website: The Guardian
Date: 31 Oct 2007
Country: UK
These two articles give me very detailed information about the damange and death, which caused by terrorist in 911 case and Madrid bombing case.
Website: The New Zealand Herald
Title: "Seven beheaded in Saudi Arabia"
Date: 14 Mar 2013
Country: NZ-against
The oil-rich kingdom follows a strict implementation of Islamic law, or Shariah, under which people convicted of murder, rape or armed robbery can be executed, usually by sword.
Saudi Arabia has executed 23 people so far this year, including the seven men on Wednesday. Last year it executed 76 people and in 2011, 79.
Also, several people were reported crucified in Saudi Arabia last year. Human rights groups have condemned crucifixions, including cases in which people were beheaded and then crucified. In 2009, Amnesty International condemned such executions as "the ultimate form of cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment."
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