Posted by Krazy Kat on February 28, 2002, at 9:51:07
In reply to Guilt / Sentencing, posted by Willow on February 27, 2002, at 19:54:28
My dearest willow (how are you by the way?). I have missed your poetic posts.
I certainly have no desire to argue with you, but I do disagree re: the case comparisons - in fact judging from your horrific "real life" senario, the Menendez brothers should have been treated with compassion by the public, not hatred. I believe abuse can change your psyche, and in a sense "make" you mentally ill. What do you think?
Again, the thing that kept you from committing a crime, was the prospect of jail. I realize that someone who is mentally ill cannot necessarily rationalize between right and wrong. But there is Right and there is Wrong - that's what a civilized society is based on.
I'd actually rather see the mentally ill go to a psychiatric ward than a prison - I'd also like to see children Never tried as adults, and folks in prison get some sort of help.
But, it seems to me that based on our society's concepts of right and wrong, murder is murder. There are not extenuating circumstances. Of course a judge has the ability to lessen a sentence. Is that right? I don't know - it's all sujective.
If I had cancer and was in constant pain, I don't get to kill the person who cut me off in traffic because my mood was bad. We have to decide if mental illness is a biological thing, or a "Spiritual" thing. I think it's both, but I don't think we can accurately combine those concepts in our secular society. (I mean all modern societies - yours and mine).
Was that a decent argument, or am I all over the place? I want to go back to school and need to get my rationalization skills back in order.:)
Do let me know how you are.
- KK
poster:Krazy Kat
thread:18539
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020223/msgs/19009.html