Capital Punishment

Murder is the unlawful killing of another human being with an intentional or criminal intent. In today's world, terrible crimes are being committed daily. Many believe that these criminals deserve one fate; death. The death penalty or also known as capital punishment is the maximum sentence used in punishing people who kill another human being, which is a very controversial method of punishment. The first recorded, execution in Australia took place at Port Jackson (Sydney) on Wednesday 27 February 17881. Twenty-five year old Thomas Barrett was hanged for stealing food from the public store.

Those who support the death penalty believe that it serves as a deterrent. As in, the punishment must fit the crime. Many, if not most murderers are crimes of passion (not done premeditated; done on the spur of the moment by someone whom to the victim, whose emotions run out of control). The killer does not stop to think of the consequences. An example would be that of the February 06' hanging of Australian citizen, Nguyen Tuong Van for carrying over 4kg of heroin into Singapore. The vast super fits caused by the criminalised supply of commodities with such high demand means any sort of punishment has virtually no impact as a deterrent. The harshness of the Singaporean justice towards drug offenders has none to do with enforcing the rule of the city's state corporate elite than reducing the damage caused by the illegal drug trade.

Some Australians believe in the concept of an eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth. As they might quote that the bible to support their view, i.e. that society has the right to take away the life of one who has murdered. However, this concept is not a contemporary Christian philosophy. Belief is that, "Thou shalt not kill"2 - even that the state should not take away one's life. As man to play God, surely if God gives life, God then determines the point of departure.

In an era of past 9/11 fears, there have been urgent cries to reintroduce the death penalty in Australia. Terrorists some say should receive no mercy. Terrorism invites a passionate belief in a cause, involving a religious passion. As for these terrorists, the death penalty is irrelevant, because they see themselves as martyrs for a cause. To them, it is of a noble and heroic act; to die. The Bali bombing terror suspect, Amrozi or also known as the "smiling assassin"3 has no fear whatsoever of what lies ahead of them. When it comes to the issue of the death penalty for terrorists, the principled response should be the same. The United Nations has consistently argued that human rights standards must be maintained in the fight against terrorism.

Pro capital punishment believers insist that murderers have no right to rehabilitation, i.e. they should have no more chances. The view in Australia is that humans deserve an opportunity to rethink even repent, restructure their lives, according to better values. As this is a more merciful and gracious way. To condemn a man to die without giving him an opportunity