Double standards???
It's been eons since I last blogged... during this period, I've been busy with the preparation of the games for a fun fair, work, books, fun, etc.. all except the time to blog.
Simply put, I was just plain lazy:p The thought of switching on my home PC after having stared at it at work for more than 8 hrs simply put me off. I was also too busy out playing on weekends :p
I've been spending much time reading the blogs of others & they were so interesting! That of an extremely witty doctor, Dr Bl Og, that of a civil servant, etc. Alas! Most of these blogs have been "closed" down. Was thinking of closing mine too.. since I'm such a lazy person despite the support of all my frens.. but then again, sigh.. decided just to hang on for awhile more..blog as & when I feel like it loh..
Anyway, on the extremely "hot" issue of Nguyen Tuong Van, the drug smuggler, I've some views too.. Being a Buddhist, I do not advocate killing or the taking away of life from any being. However, I'm also not totally against capital punishment.. especially when the person being executed will bring more harm to others if not so. However, this is not the first convict that Singapore is executing. Why should this case be any different from others? Simply coz he's an Australian? Simply coz it's Singapore & not other countries? There're many other countries which carry capital punishment & not much juicy news evolved from those... Does it also mean that certain "lives" are more valuable? I fully support the fact that as Singaporeans, we should not deviate from our normal practice & succumb to political pressure. Once a precedence is set, we can no longer stand firm on future cases.
If we can execute our own people if they commit such a crime, why should we practise double standards & spare others just coz they're of a different nationality?
Australia's PM John Howard said this:
'It is beyond belief that any Australian could be so stupid as to carry drugs into any country in Asia. We have told Australians - young Australians - again and again, do not take drugs out of this country, do not take them into Asian countries because you cannot expect any mercy. Now, we will keep pushing that message, but people have to understand that if they defy that and they get caught with drugs, they cannot expect the government to bail them out.
What kind of message is the Aussie PM putting across??? Is he telling the Australians that you shld not carry drugs to Asia but it's ok to do it in Australia or Europe since there's no capital punishment?? With such an attitude, can he expect the people to stop taking or trafficking drugs??
The matters on Nguyen's twin brother was also kept a secret as the judge handling the issue deems his case as being sensitive & might have an impact on his brother's case. For this, his punishment was delayed & even lessened. Does this make sense?? As long as a crime is committed, no matter who you might be, a prince, a king or whoever, you should not be given any special treatment: The reason being that your criminal act has void you of all your status.. you're simply just like any other criminal.. & both cases are separate issues.. how could they be lumped together?
I do not understand why a minute of silence should be observed for a criminal.. has he made any huge contribution to society? Is he of outstanding character or of some commendable traits? Just coz he's a criminal who was caught in another country & given capital punishment? Why should some of the Australians call us barbaric & boycott our products? We've always held firm to our decision especially in matters such as criminal punishment.. They've never done so till we decided to carry out our normal procedures & execute an Australian. Should we command more respect just coz we succumb to pressure & decided not to execute Nguyen? It makes no sense for me. Would we then not be seen as a weak nation with no principles? No ethics? Double standards? If we've to pay for executing a criminal of heinous crimes, so be it.
Pls note that it's not that I'm advocating political insensitivities here & neither am I against all Australians. I'm just giving my comments based on the issue. The issue here is no longer "Singapore carries out capital punishment & is capital punishment right?". The issue has become "Singapore is executing an Australian."
Simply put, I was just plain lazy:p The thought of switching on my home PC after having stared at it at work for more than 8 hrs simply put me off. I was also too busy out playing on weekends :p
I've been spending much time reading the blogs of others & they were so interesting! That of an extremely witty doctor, Dr Bl Og, that of a civil servant, etc. Alas! Most of these blogs have been "closed" down. Was thinking of closing mine too.. since I'm such a lazy person despite the support of all my frens.. but then again, sigh.. decided just to hang on for awhile more..blog as & when I feel like it loh..
Anyway, on the extremely "hot" issue of Nguyen Tuong Van, the drug smuggler, I've some views too.. Being a Buddhist, I do not advocate killing or the taking away of life from any being. However, I'm also not totally against capital punishment.. especially when the person being executed will bring more harm to others if not so. However, this is not the first convict that Singapore is executing. Why should this case be any different from others? Simply coz he's an Australian? Simply coz it's Singapore & not other countries? There're many other countries which carry capital punishment & not much juicy news evolved from those... Does it also mean that certain "lives" are more valuable? I fully support the fact that as Singaporeans, we should not deviate from our normal practice & succumb to political pressure. Once a precedence is set, we can no longer stand firm on future cases.
If we can execute our own people if they commit such a crime, why should we practise double standards & spare others just coz they're of a different nationality?
Australia's PM John Howard said this:
'It is beyond belief that any Australian could be so stupid as to carry drugs into any country in Asia. We have told Australians - young Australians - again and again, do not take drugs out of this country, do not take them into Asian countries because you cannot expect any mercy. Now, we will keep pushing that message, but people have to understand that if they defy that and they get caught with drugs, they cannot expect the government to bail them out.
What kind of message is the Aussie PM putting across??? Is he telling the Australians that you shld not carry drugs to Asia but it's ok to do it in Australia or Europe since there's no capital punishment?? With such an attitude, can he expect the people to stop taking or trafficking drugs??
The matters on Nguyen's twin brother was also kept a secret as the judge handling the issue deems his case as being sensitive & might have an impact on his brother's case. For this, his punishment was delayed & even lessened. Does this make sense?? As long as a crime is committed, no matter who you might be, a prince, a king or whoever, you should not be given any special treatment: The reason being that your criminal act has void you of all your status.. you're simply just like any other criminal.. & both cases are separate issues.. how could they be lumped together?
I do not understand why a minute of silence should be observed for a criminal.. has he made any huge contribution to society? Is he of outstanding character or of some commendable traits? Just coz he's a criminal who was caught in another country & given capital punishment? Why should some of the Australians call us barbaric & boycott our products? We've always held firm to our decision especially in matters such as criminal punishment.. They've never done so till we decided to carry out our normal procedures & execute an Australian. Should we command more respect just coz we succumb to pressure & decided not to execute Nguyen? It makes no sense for me. Would we then not be seen as a weak nation with no principles? No ethics? Double standards? If we've to pay for executing a criminal of heinous crimes, so be it.
Pls note that it's not that I'm advocating political insensitivities here & neither am I against all Australians. I'm just giving my comments based on the issue. The issue here is no longer "Singapore carries out capital punishment & is capital punishment right?". The issue has become "Singapore is executing an Australian."
posted by The Rose Box @ 7:40 PM
1 Comments:
At 12/07/2005 1:40 AM,
Jade said…
hi heather.
you have a nice blog going on, just browsing and saw yours.
bye,jade:>
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