Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Thoughts
The death of the murdering Osama bin Laden leaves me with a sense of satisfaction, but contrary to the spontaneous street demonstrations, does not leave me with a sense of joy. Yes, he was a killer. Although I am not a supporter of the death penalty, I realize that there are some criminals where the normal rules of polite society do not apply. OBL certainly falls into that category.
From a personal standpoint, I'd prefer to have him captured alive, tried, and sentenced. I also realize that a scenario following those lines was an impossibility.
From a visceral standpoint, I'd have liked to seen him caged, and hauled from city to city, town to town, village to village, hamlet to hamlet, where in each location, a specially built platform was erected, and citizens invited to take a massive dump on his head.
My point is, despite our personal desires, emotions, and wishes, it is important to be guided by the rule of law, and not the rule of revenge. And that is what makes liberalism superiour to authorativism.
From a personal standpoint, I'd prefer to have him captured alive, tried, and sentenced. I also realize that a scenario following those lines was an impossibility.
From a visceral standpoint, I'd have liked to seen him caged, and hauled from city to city, town to town, village to village, hamlet to hamlet, where in each location, a specially built platform was erected, and citizens invited to take a massive dump on his head.
My point is, despite our personal desires, emotions, and wishes, it is important to be guided by the rule of law, and not the rule of revenge. And that is what makes liberalism superiour to authorativism.
