I fully understand the emotional appeal of this sentiment. If we were talking about my son or my daughter I would go "medievil" on the bastid.
But as the great power in the world. A country with a proud history of enlightened self interest, compassion for our defeated enemies, moral leadership, and itellectual freedom, can we lower ourselves to excusing barbarism on our part because the object our disdain is in fact a barbarian?
This paradox is at the core of my ambivalence.
What do you think?
My first reaction to the conviction and hanging was, justice has been done. He clearly deserved what he got, but I think avid makes a great point. Webster defines ambivalence as, a simultaneous attraction toward and repulsion from an object, person, or action. This sums up how I feel about this execution, or maybe any execution, very well. I do not rejoice in the death of another human being, and am afraid that government sanctioned killing does put us in the position of using a barbaric punishment to penalize a barbaric act. Alpster is also absolutely right that it is the Government's responsibility to maintain order. As avid said it is a paradox that is not easily resolved.
