I am not against the death penalty. I am against the death penalty being abused.
I believe there are times when the imposition of capital punishment becomes necessary in the ordinary pursuit of justice so that the severity of the punishment meets the malice and gravity of the crime.
I also believe the guilt of executing one innocent person can not be wiped away by executing ten more who are guilty.
In all criminal cases, this guilt takes on the character of community so my opinion is this: We, the people, should try and ponder on this more carefully. For the question is not an easy one:
Were the Republic to lift the moratorium on capital punishment, is our justice system ready?
There are five pillars to this justice system.
All five pillars form one synergistic whole. But the center-most pillar in my view is the people.
Our national communities being one of these pillars - are we, the people, ready?
The other four pillars of our justice system are as follows: (1) our courts system, (2) our police service, (3) our state's attorneys, and (4) our state reformatory system.
All of them draw their necessary virtues from the character of our peoplehood.
Let us look at how we judge and accuse each other everyday - how rash and how harsh we can get... How many or how few the times do we choose to actively preserve each other's honor and recognize each other's dignity as something of equal and precious value.
Let us look at in-built social prejudices: The provincialisms and other chauvinist excesses that linger on within our selves. For these things - were we to serve the ideals of the justice we, the people, commonly desire - must all be considered carefully.
Let us work to rid ourselves of these... As for my own part, I continue to actively work to remove these harmful preconceived notions from myself as well.
Also, look at how some people here, her own compatriots - react to the case of Mary Jane Veloso. I have a lot of admiration for Mary Jane. For her detractors here in our own Country - so very little. They react like they don't think. Like they worship law.
For these are safeguards against abuse of the law. Indeed, a good and well-regulated populace is better than any law. Good judgment naturally supports a sound justice.
We should be citizens first in this Republic after all and politicians last. Are we?
In any case, the fact that there is a moratorium on capital punishment means that the death penalty is not off the table and it never was.
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I believe there are times when the imposition of capital punishment becomes necessary in the ordinary pursuit of justice so that the severity of the punishment meets the malice and gravity of the crime.
I also believe the guilt of executing one innocent person can not be wiped away by executing ten more who are guilty.
In all criminal cases, this guilt takes on the character of community so my opinion is this: We, the people, should try and ponder on this more carefully. For the question is not an easy one:
Were the Republic to lift the moratorium on capital punishment, is our justice system ready?
There are five pillars to this justice system.
All five pillars form one synergistic whole. But the center-most pillar in my view is the people.
Our national communities being one of these pillars - are we, the people, ready?
The other four pillars of our justice system are as follows: (1) our courts system, (2) our police service, (3) our state's attorneys, and (4) our state reformatory system.
All of them draw their necessary virtues from the character of our peoplehood.
Let us look at how we judge and accuse each other everyday - how rash and how harsh we can get... How many or how few the times do we choose to actively preserve each other's honor and recognize each other's dignity as something of equal and precious value.
Let us look at in-built social prejudices: The provincialisms and other chauvinist excesses that linger on within our selves. For these things - were we to serve the ideals of the justice we, the people, commonly desire - must all be considered carefully.
Let us work to rid ourselves of these... As for my own part, I continue to actively work to remove these harmful preconceived notions from myself as well.
Also, look at how some people here, her own compatriots - react to the case of Mary Jane Veloso. I have a lot of admiration for Mary Jane. For her detractors here in our own Country - so very little. They react like they don't think. Like they worship law.
For these are safeguards against abuse of the law. Indeed, a good and well-regulated populace is better than any law. Good judgment naturally supports a sound justice.
We should be citizens first in this Republic after all and politicians last. Are we?
In any case, the fact that there is a moratorium on capital punishment means that the death penalty is not off the table and it never was.
---<--@
