November 5, 2009
Exclusive: In Defense of the Children
Pam Meister
RIYADH (Reuters) - A Saudi court of cassation upheld a ruling to behead and crucify a 22-year-old man convicted of raping five children and leaving one of them to die in the desert, newspapers reported on Tuesday.
The convict was arrested earlier this year after a seven-year old boy helped police in their investigation. The child left in the desert after the rape was three years old, Okaz newspaper said.
International rights groups have accused the kingdom, the birthplace of Islam, of applying draconian justice, beheading murderers, rapists and drug traffickers in public. So far this year about 40 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia.
In Saudi Arabia, crucifixion means tying the body of the convict to wooden beams to be displayed to the public after beheading.
While there is much in Saudi Arabia to criticize with regard to human rights – how women and non-Muslims are treated under Sharia law, for example – but as barbaric as the rapist’s sentence is, part of me wants to say, “Right on.”
A lot of nanny state legislation here in America is promoted, and sometimes passed, by using “the children” as a convenient way to coerce anyone who balks at the thought of expansion of government power (“It’s for the children!”). But when it comes to the physical safety of the most vulnerable members of society, I believe harsh measures, both as punishment and deterrent, have their place.
Violent crime of any stripe is repugnant and reprehensible, but when it is directed toward children who have no way of fighting back, it becomes truly vile. For not only is the child harmed when the crime occurs, but the crime can haunt him for the rest of his life, making him more prone to obesity, alcoholism, depression and other physical and mental illnesses. Then there is the fact that some abused children grow up to become abusers themselves.
By targeting children, the rapist or other abuser begins a cycle that can affect many more people than just the immediate victim.
Is the beheading of a convicted rapist and displaying of the body afterward a bit harsh? Perhaps. But compare it to the case of movie director Roman Polanski, who has been defended by his peers because his rape of a 13-year-old girl was “so long ago” and he made “such great films.” Then there’s the case of the Vermont judge who sentenced a child rapist to 60 days in jail because he no longer believed in punishment, and was more concerned about rehabilitating the criminal. In that instance, prosecutors were pushing for eight to 20 years in jail – a far cry from the slap on the wrist he received because, went the judge’s reasoning, due to Vermont’s regulations, the offender did not qualify for in-prison rehabilitation services.
I also realize that in nations like Saudi Arabia, you are not necessarily innocent until proven guilty and that once the mechanisms of the state are put in motion against you, you may be powerless to extricate yourself – even if you really are innocent.
The Reuters story linked above does not give many facts. Yet I cannot help but silently cheer when harsh punishment is meted out to those who harm children, and I can’t help but wish our society cared a little less about feeling sorry for the offenders and more about seeking justice for those they offend.
Just my two cents.
Reader Comments: Submit Your Comment (5)
Indeed. Let's all take a moment to silently cheer the killing of a mentally subnormal 22 year old.
posted by : Mark
Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 04:58 AM
I just wish they punished paedophiles the same way over here. You have your do-gooders bleating on about the rapists civil rights butas far as I'm concerned he gave up those rights when he harmed a child. God bless Saudi Arabia!!
posted by : Sharon
Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 05:32 AM
I completely agree. If anybody touched my child I would gladly behead them myself. Im sick to death of do gooders. Like to see how a do gooder would feel if one of their children was abused or murdered.Also your comments on other people who become affected not just the victim who has been abused. I have worked with abused children and Yes, A lot of people are left scarred and possibly more will be scarred in the future due to child victims of abuse. It upsets me terribly. Send the paedophiles to Saudi Arabia!!!
posted by : Fran
Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 06:01 AM
Quite agree, don't want them in the gene pool.
posted by : Linda
Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 06:44 AM
I can't agree more with all of the above comments and more and more and more. Once proven, a rapist/paedophile should not be spared. I get very angry when those judges let them off easy even if it were to be 20 years imprisonment. We all know that many of them reoffend. Those judges should imagine the crime happening to any of their family members, perhaps they won't be so stupid and linient. Draconian punishment??? Bring it back at least for the paedophiles..could give some of us some sense of security back in our lives. Misguided do gooders should realise their some of their non-sensical criticism and start thanking Saudi Arabia. Making the public in its country know of the punishment surely would make the next would be paedophile shriek before acting out his evil thoughts.
Shary
posted by : Sharifah
Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 06:54 AM
