I'll preface this thread by first stating that the ideas presented will probably not be palpable to a lot of people. But the ideas expressed are
things I need to get off of my chest, as I've had much experience with this particular topic, whether on my own part or through hearing what others
say and how they act.
I live in West Virginia. Not too far away from where I live, a man named Charles March killed a woman he was dating at the time, chopped her up, and
buried her in his backyard. It wasn't until two years (I believe it was two) later that his own son ended up digging in his backyard and found her
remains.
The case is still in trial, but he has already been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, it simply hasn't been through all of those complicated
court processes we know and love.
I was speaking with my grandmother after there was a news piece discussing when Charles March tried to commit suicide by throwing himself off of a
second story railing in jail, an attempt to break his own neck. After the news story ran, my grandmother said something that, I will admit some time
ago I wouldn't have paid much attention to it (and probably would have even agreed with her), but it took me back like a shot to the chin.
She said, and I quote, "I really wish they would do to him what he did to that girl."
So I responded, "What would that accomplish?"
She just kind of looked at me, as if to say, "What do you mean? It would accomplish a lot!" But it really wouldn't.
"You're actually sitting there, wanting somebody to literally murder him and chop him into pieces?" I said. She paused before answering. "Well, yes,
that's what I just said."
"Then what would that accomplish? Would that bring her back to life? Would murdering him and mutilating his body make everything better?"
She sort of ignored me at that point after saying something to the extent of, "You're being silly."
And so the obvious question is this: Someone does something bad, so what would it accomplish for you to wish terrible things on that person, wish to
see them go to prison, or worse, and cheer when they "get what's coming to them"?
It's no secret human beings are bloodthirsty creatures. We love seeing violence, we revel in warfare, and when the "bad guys" get punished, like some
sort of Hollywood blockbuster, we feel a grand sense of justice and accomplishment.
Where does this come from? The ego? Satiating some animalistic desire within yourself by projecting your own violent tendencies in unnatural ways?
So, after meditating upon it for some time (literally months on end of daily meditation and contemplation on this particular topic), I've come to my
own conclusion that justice is not there to make you feel good. Safe? Perhaps. But punishing others should not make you feel good. It should never
make you feel a sense of victory, as though you won some great battle against evil. You didn't. Neither did the justice system, they simple mulled
over evidence and found them (presumably) guilty, thus putting them in prison for whatever amount of time is desired.
Justice is there to keep others from being harmed or defrauded in some way. When a murderer goes to prison, it's because if he was let loose on his
own accord, he may go and kill again. Perhaps they may let him out if he doesn't have a life sentence, has probation, and has been a generally good
cookie who shows genuine signs of remorse for his actions. Justice is NOT a professional wrestling match or a theatrical presentation. There are no
characters, there is no script, this is the reality of the situation.
Furthermore, and here's where I may lose a lot of supporters in this philosophy:
Nobody deserves to be murdered. Ever.
What is murder? It's a particular kind of theft. The taking of a life that is not freely given to you. We frown upon those who steal money from little
old ladies, and yet have an opposite reaction in an almost identical situation, taking the life of another human being that has already been brought
to justice (or could be brought to justice).
This opens up a big can of worms, and I think you can assume what sort of worms we're talking about.
You may ask, "What about Adolf Hitler? Osama bin Laden? Muammar Gaddafi? Surely these men, evil and corrupt right down to the core, having killed so
many innocent people, deserve to be mercilessly killed for their crimes against humanity! Sure you can't be saying these men didn't deserve to
die!"
That's exactly what I'm saying, "These men." Men. Human beings, of flesh and blood. Do I care what they did? Of course. They took innocent lives, they
did awful things. Do I think killing them would be justified for their actions? No. It never is.
The aforementioned men, or at least one of them in particular, brings up some memories that I must relay. When Osama bin Laden was declared dead, I
remember seeing people getting drunk and dancing in the streets.
Yet when Arabs danced in the streets during 9/11, we were appalled.
You may think there's a difference, but is there? Because what connected both instances?
People celebrated murder.
THAT is what disturbs me, and THAT is what is a poison of the mind.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject, and hope we can keep the discussion civil and reasonable. I ask that you don't slip down the
slippery slope of turning this into a flame war, because I put a lot of my heart and mind into it, and it would stink to see it become degraded into
name calling and finger pointing.
edit on 20-12-2012 by ManjushriPrajna because: (no reason given)
edit on 20-12-2012 by
ManjushriPrajna because: (no reason given)