18 May 2008

hit me with your best shot

A little reflection after last night's post on the cyber-bullying issue leads me to reaffirm my commitment to opposing the death penalty in all circumstances. I am not a wobbly on this issue, no matter how enticing an opportunity to improve the gene pool might appear. Executing teenagers is not a policy platform for a kind and tolerant Australia, yes?

But what is a suitable punishment? Here are two: one drawn from history, and one that's a bit more relevant and contemporary.

History? Bring back the stocks - surely a little public humiliation might lead some of these youngsters back to the straight and narrow?

Modern? A punishment that is enforceable and relevant? Blacklist them with service providers from ever having a mobile phone service (kind of like being banned from driving). Sure, the obsessive will find a way around it but, similar to being caught driving without a licence, the consequent actions would be demonstrably criminal and treated accordingly.

Waddaya reckon? We need to stamp this out before it gets worse - look what's happening in the
UK. There's a breakdown in the very usual ways that people behave - sure we've always had the hoods, the idiot fringe, the downright criminal - but this seems a whole world removed from what has been accepted as fringe behaviour in recent decades. And this use of knives? Where did that come from?

But...in keeping with the general (we hope) Chateau VVB vibe of always looking on the bright side of life, here's an article from the Times of London about this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Mrs VVB and I always look forward to Eurovision - it marks the passing of the year almost equally with DanceSports on Christmas Night - but the Times is looking for a bit more substance in the usually outrageously naff show this year.

They posit the possibility (eerk, sorry about that) of taking E-vision seriously by having credentialled representatives from each country. All well and good, but they take it to the next level, incorporating an Australian innovation of which I am sure their pop culture correspondent is unaware, namely State of Origin. Read it
now.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

What sense is there in making it illegal to commit crimes at night?

I feel like this same core issue (not to be confused with core promises!) is coming up again and again with no real resolution. We're not enforcing the rules we already have that were established for good reason.

When did you last hear of someone actually being punished for mobile phone use while driving, for example?

Ann ODyne said...

its a $135 fine and I know an idiot who incurred same, on consecutive days.

smoking eating or drinking a thickshake while driving is just as dangerous.
then there's footwear: plenty of idiot women drive in very high-heel shoes and it's a miracle they manage without crashing.

and cyber-bullying? since you mention hermeneutics above, let me just claim that the people at Applied Hermeneutics blog are making false claims, as they don't apply hermeneutics and no wonder they have no commentors - they were horrible to me.

phil said...

A O'D, yes, we impose different penalties based on on perceptions, not potential for damage or injury.

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