Have you spent your economic stimulus check yet? I paid a few bills with mine, so, it was practically spent before my wife and I received it. It was nice to have a little extra money to pay our bills a little earlier than normal. As appreciative as we, and I suppose others, are to the government for this "bonus" of sorts, it is most unlikely that consumers have seen the light and gained confidence in our economy. After all, this stimulus check was the equivalent to one or two paychecks for some, and a single pair of shoes for those a little more affluent.
According to the LA Times,"Consumers across the country say they have used their stimulus checks to pay bills and to stay afloat. The money has done little to boost their confidence in the economy." I did not think that my family was unique in this respect, and it seems like I was correct. It is difficult to believe that the economy will recover soon, when the prospect is blurred by a Republican President who is bound to be branded by Americans as one of the worst in history. Additionally, Americans know that we have Democrats in Congress with majority control that have had little success in passing anything but hot air. What are they waiting for, Barrack Obama? Realizing that their majority control is fragile, it would be logical that they are waiting for a President who will work with them to get things done, instead of threatening to veto legislation at the mere thought of necessary compromise [this not including the recent emergency housing bill]. Yet, there may be one other factor relating to the lack of consumer confidence.
It is possible that many US citizens are becoming more aware of the Federal debt. According to Wikipedia, "[a]s of April 2008, the total U.S. federal debt was approximately $9.5 trillion, about $31,100 per capita (that is, per U.S. resident)." After digesting this and the fact that this total does not include most of the major social programs [e.g. social security, Medicare, etc.] the present and future of our economy does not seem so bright. It is a far cry from the days of Clinton, when the national debt was decreasing by about $30 per second.
If the government wants it's people to have confidence in the economy, why not start by fostering our confidence in our leadership? They, after all, are the one's who are supposed to have a direction that will make things better, even, if it is in a small way. When, though, we are told that we will have to sacrifice prosperity to pay the deficit, our daughters and sons to fight wars, and our privacy for the never ending war on terrorism, leadership leaves us almost nothing to be confident about.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
American Pride
Well, remember back when Obama and McCain both agreed to run campaigns that constructively debated the issues, rather than slinging mud and assassinating each other's character? After reading a story on Fox news, I think McCain has decided to disregard the agreement. Mentioning that Senator Obama voted once against funding the war in Iraq, McCain equated this to "legislating failure" for the war. As usual with politicians, McCain, presumably believing that he trails Senator Obama in popularity, has decided to step-up the accusations so as to paint Obama as unpatriotic, or worse, somewhat traitorous. How destructive is it to our citizens belief in our electoral system, and nation as a whole, to insinuate that one's opponent for the Presidency of the United States is so cold as to jeopardize human lives without reason? Is it possible that something attached to the funding was not to Senator Obama's liking? All politicians, at one time or another, vote against Bills that, in principle, seem good. Yet, as McCain fails to mention, Obama voted for funding the war on "at least ten" other instances. Getting back to the way that the candidates agreed to conduct their campaigns, would it not have been better for McCain to acknowledge this, rather than providing partial truths in his attack on Obama?
At this point in time, Americans seem to be disenchanted. We are coming to grips with the history of our nation that we were taught, and the real history that propaganda and false patriotism have failed to obscure. Yet, make no mistake; most of us still believe in this nation and it's future. In my opinion, though, Americans want, but do not expect, honesty instead of partial truths from our candidates and elected leaders. Every instance, such as Watergate, the Lewinsky affair, or vicious attacks between candidates, that the public becomes aware of degrades our collective self-esteem as a nation, as well as our trust in the system. Add to this the increased access to information and foreign opinions of our country that the internet provides, and one can understand why many Americans find it difficult to feel extremely proud of ourselves presently.
However, there is pride in this country. If not rooted completely in our history, it lies in the present sacrifices of our military forces and the belief in our own abilities to create a brighter future for all.
At this point in time, Americans seem to be disenchanted. We are coming to grips with the history of our nation that we were taught, and the real history that propaganda and false patriotism have failed to obscure. Yet, make no mistake; most of us still believe in this nation and it's future. In my opinion, though, Americans want, but do not expect, honesty instead of partial truths from our candidates and elected leaders. Every instance, such as Watergate, the Lewinsky affair, or vicious attacks between candidates, that the public becomes aware of degrades our collective self-esteem as a nation, as well as our trust in the system. Add to this the increased access to information and foreign opinions of our country that the internet provides, and one can understand why many Americans find it difficult to feel extremely proud of ourselves presently.
However, there is pride in this country. If not rooted completely in our history, it lies in the present sacrifices of our military forces and the belief in our own abilities to create a brighter future for all.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Oil Rich History
In the US, many of us are breathing a sigh of relief from the recent drop in oil prices. I know that a smile crosses my face at the possibility of using the money that I save at the pump to help pay for something else that my family needs. Fuel, as well as other necessities like food, water and housing, have steadily become more expensive in the last few years, making many people believe that $5 a gallon for gasoline would be typical by the end of the summer of 2008. Yet, according to an Associated Press story on CNN , the price reduction has been spurred on predominately by two factors: the stronger dollar and less American demand for oil. It is nice to think that this lowering of oil prices might become a trend. Yet, as the same article mentions, "in the past four-plus years of oil's bull run, the market has seen significant downward corrections before. Each time, the market has come back and moved higher and established new highs."
This is the maddening part. Some of us remember the gasoline rationing of the 1970's. At that time, the limitations put upon the amount of fuel people could buy created much interest in renewable/alternative fuel sources. But this interest mostly disappeared after oil prices fell a little and automakers began to build more fuel efficient vehicles. If the US, or the global community, would have continued to focus on advancing alternatives to oil, how much better off would we be now? In my opinion, probably considerably better than we are currently.
The main point to this is, if we once again allow ourselves to become sidetracked from developing alternative fuel sources because the price of oil is affordable, we will continue to be at the mercy of the world's oil producers, as well as continuing the pollution that results from burning fossil fuels.
These words are definitely not meant to vilify anyone, especially those from the Middle East. Oil producers in this region rely on the same business practices that are relied upon globally; profit as much as possible, whenever possible. Here in the US, ignorance is commonplace, in that, we make villains out of people who are only doing what is common practice for corporations worldwide.
So, my biggest fear is that we, as a nation and as a global people, will not learn from history. After oil prices have settled and the interest in finding viable fuel substitutes subsides, we only have our own complacency to blame for allowing our addiction to oil grow. Yet, if we are determined to make the change to a clean, renewable, fuel source in the near future, it will require consistent pressure from ordinary citizens to keep their leaders focused on solving the problems with our present and future oil consumption.
This is the maddening part. Some of us remember the gasoline rationing of the 1970's. At that time, the limitations put upon the amount of fuel people could buy created much interest in renewable/alternative fuel sources. But this interest mostly disappeared after oil prices fell a little and automakers began to build more fuel efficient vehicles. If the US, or the global community, would have continued to focus on advancing alternatives to oil, how much better off would we be now? In my opinion, probably considerably better than we are currently.
The main point to this is, if we once again allow ourselves to become sidetracked from developing alternative fuel sources because the price of oil is affordable, we will continue to be at the mercy of the world's oil producers, as well as continuing the pollution that results from burning fossil fuels.
These words are definitely not meant to vilify anyone, especially those from the Middle East. Oil producers in this region rely on the same business practices that are relied upon globally; profit as much as possible, whenever possible. Here in the US, ignorance is commonplace, in that, we make villains out of people who are only doing what is common practice for corporations worldwide.
So, my biggest fear is that we, as a nation and as a global people, will not learn from history. After oil prices have settled and the interest in finding viable fuel substitutes subsides, we only have our own complacency to blame for allowing our addiction to oil grow. Yet, if we are determined to make the change to a clean, renewable, fuel source in the near future, it will require consistent pressure from ordinary citizens to keep their leaders focused on solving the problems with our present and future oil consumption.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
It just Works for Free
I remember the first computer that I ever owned. The operating system was Windows 98 and it was given to me by my brother. I remember my amazement the first time I surfed the Internet. With so much information easily accessed through the Internet, it was difficult to see any downside to it. Then, I started reading about Microsoft and their attempts to monopolize every aspect of computing, from file formats to accessory programs needed to enjoy Internet content as well as computing productivity for work. If you did not have the money to pay Microsoft an exorbitant amount of money for using their product, content and workability were denied to you. I will not even begin to talk about all the hours that I have spent the last decade trying to fix glitches in my Windows operating system, as well as all the time spent downloading and installing the infinite number of program patches to make the damn thing secure. Thank heavens, those days are over.
A few years ago, the same brother turned me on to Linux. To my amazement, as soon as we installed Kubuntu on my computer, it came with all the drivers for my hardware and it worked without spending 45 minutes downloading updates [or uploading my personal information to Microsoft]. Suddenly, the computer world seemed a far better place than before. I no longer felt that I, as well as others, were being forced to use and pay for an operating system that, in my opinion, was always less than secure, both from hackers and Microsoft. I have depended on Linux for two years now, and I have never had to worry about worms, Trojan horses, or viruses. As a matter of fact, I don't run any anti-virus program because Linux is a more secure, stable, and, because of it's price [free], a more satisfying operating system to work and play with than Microsoft's. It is even more satisfying when you know that the operating system is created and maintained by diligent volunteers. That's right, people who care enough about freedom and liberty to sacrifice their own time to build it!
As for me, I will NEVER go back to using Microsoft's products. This is especially true when I see all the release problems that Vista has had, which has forced many users into paying Microsoft so that they could revert back to XP. While, Window's users are going backwards, the Linux community is growing and leaping forward. For myself, it is rare that a problem arises with Linux in comparison to my Windows days. I no longer spend time trying to fix/patch up the problems with windows. Linux just works.
For those of you wishing to learn more about Linux and the open source community, I suggest these sites --
http://www.LinuxLatitude.blogspot.com/
http://www.DIYComputerHelp.com/
A few years ago, the same brother turned me on to Linux. To my amazement, as soon as we installed Kubuntu on my computer, it came with all the drivers for my hardware and it worked without spending 45 minutes downloading updates [or uploading my personal information to Microsoft]. Suddenly, the computer world seemed a far better place than before. I no longer felt that I, as well as others, were being forced to use and pay for an operating system that, in my opinion, was always less than secure, both from hackers and Microsoft. I have depended on Linux for two years now, and I have never had to worry about worms, Trojan horses, or viruses. As a matter of fact, I don't run any anti-virus program because Linux is a more secure, stable, and, because of it's price [free], a more satisfying operating system to work and play with than Microsoft's. It is even more satisfying when you know that the operating system is created and maintained by diligent volunteers. That's right, people who care enough about freedom and liberty to sacrifice their own time to build it!
As for me, I will NEVER go back to using Microsoft's products. This is especially true when I see all the release problems that Vista has had, which has forced many users into paying Microsoft so that they could revert back to XP. While, Window's users are going backwards, the Linux community is growing and leaping forward. For myself, it is rare that a problem arises with Linux in comparison to my Windows days. I no longer spend time trying to fix/patch up the problems with windows. Linux just works.
For those of you wishing to learn more about Linux and the open source community, I suggest these sites --
http://www.LinuxLatitude.blogspot.com/
http://www.DIYComputerHelp.com/
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Mass Education
How many parents out there want their children, or grandchildren for that matter, to have a chance at going to college? There are many studies readily available supporting the fact that a college education increases a person's lifetime income far beyond others who only have a high school diploma, or less. Sometimes, we hear the story that many of America's millionaires were able to make their fortunes without ever finishing high school. Looking back at my own life, as well as every single person that I have ever known that did not earn a college degree, I would judge this story a possible outcome for only a very few lucky individuals. Unfortunately, many young people, including myself once upon a time, dupe themselves into believing that their uniqueness and luck will create the income/security that they feel they are entitled to as Americans. They hear tales of poor people winning multi-million dollar state lotteries, while dreaming of trading places with the actual winner. Denial anyone?
Now, let's add more obstacles to gaining an education. Let us keep raising the price of tuition and textbooks to the point where people, though thirsting to learn and prosper from the hard work that it takes to earn a degree, cannot afford it. The reasons for this could be as simple as the person is a single mother, or, possibly, they are working two jobs so that they can keep their families fed, housed, and clothed. And, let's not forget that the working poor, while not being able to afford insurance premiums and deductibles, slip into debt in the wink of an eye by merely trying to keep themselves or their family healthy. Anyway that you look at this very real scenario, the prospects for these people are limited.
Then, let us think about the effects of globalization. It is a small world that is increasingly becoming smaller. Manual labor jobs for Americans are disappearing because corporations, both domestic and foreign, can find cheaper workers in other countries, as well as more lenient regulations that allow greater profit. Manual labor jobs in America, for the most part, are disappearing. Add to this the increasing discussion in this country about America falling behind some other nations in various educational categories [such as math] and the future seems potentially bleak for many Americans.
To get to my point, many people, ranging from government leaders to the nobody like myself, voice their worries that America lacks the education that is needed to spur innovations in the field of technology, as well as others. Yet, education is an industry, like so many others, which requires profit to stay afloat, thus, fewer people can afford the rising costs. Would it make sense for our government to increasingly subsidize people's education? The mere mentioning of this brings some to envision a Communistic state. However, if educating the masses is considered healthy for a society, through creating new industries, jobs, ideas and technology, is it not in our nation's best interest to help each citizen wishing to learn accomplish their goal without sacrificing the basic needs of life? I for one believe that America would greatly prosper from doing so. Who knows, maybe the next Einstein or Ben Franklin is waiting to be discovered. What do you think?
Now, let's add more obstacles to gaining an education. Let us keep raising the price of tuition and textbooks to the point where people, though thirsting to learn and prosper from the hard work that it takes to earn a degree, cannot afford it. The reasons for this could be as simple as the person is a single mother, or, possibly, they are working two jobs so that they can keep their families fed, housed, and clothed. And, let's not forget that the working poor, while not being able to afford insurance premiums and deductibles, slip into debt in the wink of an eye by merely trying to keep themselves or their family healthy. Anyway that you look at this very real scenario, the prospects for these people are limited.
Then, let us think about the effects of globalization. It is a small world that is increasingly becoming smaller. Manual labor jobs for Americans are disappearing because corporations, both domestic and foreign, can find cheaper workers in other countries, as well as more lenient regulations that allow greater profit. Manual labor jobs in America, for the most part, are disappearing. Add to this the increasing discussion in this country about America falling behind some other nations in various educational categories [such as math] and the future seems potentially bleak for many Americans.
To get to my point, many people, ranging from government leaders to the nobody like myself, voice their worries that America lacks the education that is needed to spur innovations in the field of technology, as well as others. Yet, education is an industry, like so many others, which requires profit to stay afloat, thus, fewer people can afford the rising costs. Would it make sense for our government to increasingly subsidize people's education? The mere mentioning of this brings some to envision a Communistic state. However, if educating the masses is considered healthy for a society, through creating new industries, jobs, ideas and technology, is it not in our nation's best interest to help each citizen wishing to learn accomplish their goal without sacrificing the basic needs of life? I for one believe that America would greatly prosper from doing so. Who knows, maybe the next Einstein or Ben Franklin is waiting to be discovered. What do you think?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Helping "The Politics of Fear"
During my news reading yesterday, I happened on to a few articles that were talking about the cartoon in The New Yorker depicting Barrack and Michele Obama as terrorists with a burning US flag in the fireplace. The finishing touches of this supposed satirical cartoon contained a portrait of Osama Bin Laden over the fireplace mantle, a turban on Senator Barrack Obama's head, and Mrs. Obama dressed in fatigues with an AK assault rifle slung around her back. According to Elizabeth Moore of Newsday.com, The New Yorker claims "[t]he image by cartoonist Barry Blitt, titled 'The Politics of Fear,' is meant to caricature the use of scare tactics and misinformation against Obama."
Now, to begin with, I generally object to censorship, unless it is used to protect children from hateful, sexual, or violent content in which children are unsupervised during their consumption of the media. With this being said, I also think that news sources have a responsibility to safeguard their readers from being misled. Would it have been that difficult to display the cartoon's title, "The Politics of Fear," at the bottom of the magazines cover? I suspect that it would be, if, the magazine's intent was to spread the same fear and misinformation that the cartoon is supposedly lampooning.
Americans, in my opinion, generally know that "image is everything," as the adage goes. The same can be said for the media. The infinite amount of public opinion polls inform these news sources that millions of Americans believe Mr. Obama is Muslim (and judging from many of the forums concerning this cartoon, many do not know how to spell 'Muslim' . . . [sigh]). At any rate, Senator Obama is a Christian, to the best of my knowledge.
And even if he was Muslim, I could not agree with vilifying those who practice this faith. To do this is the equivalent to claiming all Christians are bad people because some members of the Ku Klux Klan are God fearing Christians. It is absolute nonsense. There are good, bad, and people in between of every group, regardless of their heritage, political association, religion, or gender.
To his credit, John McCain has even condemned the cartoon, as I am sure that many other conservatives have as well. In a world where propaganda and misinformation are relied upon by government, corporations, and next door neighbors to sell political, social, and consumer ideals to others, it is refreshing to realize that there are still people who are willing to stand for what they believe is correct, despite great opposition to maintain the status quo.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Cleaning for College Credit
While driving home one day during spring break, I found it necessary to stop at a local park's restroom. Upon entering the facility, I realized that the restroom was very filthy. Little pieces of toilet paper littered the floor, while the sink looked like it had not been cleaned in many weeks. The restroom's condition made it an obvious choice for this extra credit assignment. I decided that I would hurry home to grab my cleaning supplies so that I could come back and clean the mess.
When I returned, I immediately started to sweep the floor. I felt happy as I cleaned, although, I was not responsible for making the mess. Taking responsibility for it increased my self esteem, in that, I felt that I was actually doing something that needed to be done. The thirty minutes that the cleaning took was time well spent. Yet, judging from the reaction of one of the two individuals who observed me cleaning the restroom, not everyone would agree with me.
As I finished cleaning the sink, a middle aged man in a business suit walked in. I told him hello, to which, he did not reply, as I moved to the stall doors so that I could wipe them down, in addition to giving the man some privacy. After finishing his business, the man walked to the sink. I wanted to tell him why I was cleaning, yet, he was trying very hard to ignore me. After the man washed his hands, he proceeded to dry them with paper towels. To my amazement, this man dropped each of the used paper towels on the floor around the sink. I was speechless. Why would he do this? Before I could ask him, he hurried out the door.
The next person was also a middle aged man, though, he was dressed in jeans and a thick winter jacket. Walking toward the sink, he glanced at me and asked if the city was "working me hard". I replied that I was not a city worker, and I informed him about my reasons for cleaning. The man seemed confused. He asked me if I thought that I was a little too old to be a college student. I mentioned to him that I did during my first college semester, but, upon finding that many people my age were going, my beliefs changed. He smiled and then said that he was glad because the restroom had never looked cleaner. He said goodbye and good luck, as he walked out the door. It seemed that he liked the results of my taking responsibility for the mess.
On the other hand, the first man seemed unimpressed and highly intent on creating more work for me. Whether his mood or bad habits caused him to blatantly dirty the freshly cleaned floor in front of me is unknown. It seems that this man, if he was conscious of what he was doing, might have been trying to amplify my supposed subordinate status of janitor. Indeed, I have experienced many people who do these types of things to boost their own self esteem. If he did it through habit, I feel sorry for those who clean any of the places he frequents. His reaction to my cleaning the restroom was a far cry from the somewhat supportive reaction of the other man.
Initially, I predicted that people would be supportive of what I was doing, yet, there would also be some that did not care. I was not prepared for the actions of the man who dirtied the floor in front of me. Since I do not know the reasons for what he did, I have to classify him to the "did not care" group of my mini theory. The reaction of the second, and nicer, man was supportive, though, he thought I was too old to be a college student. The compliment he gave me for the cleanliness of the restroom is not as supportive as him helping me to clean, yet, it was greatly appreciated.
In addition to allowing some study of the human reaction to someone going outside the norm of our society, the bathroom cleaning study reminded me that, whether a problem is my own or another person's, it is satisfying to take responsibility for it, working to solve it, and knowing that, in some very small way, my effort has made the world a better place. If the majority of people on Earth hungered for this feeling of accomplishment, and the resulting benefit to their self esteem, can you imagine the impact that these random acts of responsibility could have?
When I returned, I immediately started to sweep the floor. I felt happy as I cleaned, although, I was not responsible for making the mess. Taking responsibility for it increased my self esteem, in that, I felt that I was actually doing something that needed to be done. The thirty minutes that the cleaning took was time well spent. Yet, judging from the reaction of one of the two individuals who observed me cleaning the restroom, not everyone would agree with me.
As I finished cleaning the sink, a middle aged man in a business suit walked in. I told him hello, to which, he did not reply, as I moved to the stall doors so that I could wipe them down, in addition to giving the man some privacy. After finishing his business, the man walked to the sink. I wanted to tell him why I was cleaning, yet, he was trying very hard to ignore me. After the man washed his hands, he proceeded to dry them with paper towels. To my amazement, this man dropped each of the used paper towels on the floor around the sink. I was speechless. Why would he do this? Before I could ask him, he hurried out the door.
The next person was also a middle aged man, though, he was dressed in jeans and a thick winter jacket. Walking toward the sink, he glanced at me and asked if the city was "working me hard". I replied that I was not a city worker, and I informed him about my reasons for cleaning. The man seemed confused. He asked me if I thought that I was a little too old to be a college student. I mentioned to him that I did during my first college semester, but, upon finding that many people my age were going, my beliefs changed. He smiled and then said that he was glad because the restroom had never looked cleaner. He said goodbye and good luck, as he walked out the door. It seemed that he liked the results of my taking responsibility for the mess.
On the other hand, the first man seemed unimpressed and highly intent on creating more work for me. Whether his mood or bad habits caused him to blatantly dirty the freshly cleaned floor in front of me is unknown. It seems that this man, if he was conscious of what he was doing, might have been trying to amplify my supposed subordinate status of janitor. Indeed, I have experienced many people who do these types of things to boost their own self esteem. If he did it through habit, I feel sorry for those who clean any of the places he frequents. His reaction to my cleaning the restroom was a far cry from the somewhat supportive reaction of the other man.
Initially, I predicted that people would be supportive of what I was doing, yet, there would also be some that did not care. I was not prepared for the actions of the man who dirtied the floor in front of me. Since I do not know the reasons for what he did, I have to classify him to the "did not care" group of my mini theory. The reaction of the second, and nicer, man was supportive, though, he thought I was too old to be a college student. The compliment he gave me for the cleanliness of the restroom is not as supportive as him helping me to clean, yet, it was greatly appreciated.
In addition to allowing some study of the human reaction to someone going outside the norm of our society, the bathroom cleaning study reminded me that, whether a problem is my own or another person's, it is satisfying to take responsibility for it, working to solve it, and knowing that, in some very small way, my effort has made the world a better place. If the majority of people on Earth hungered for this feeling of accomplishment, and the resulting benefit to their self esteem, can you imagine the impact that these random acts of responsibility could have?
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Juvenile Death Penalty?
. . . And Justice for All, We Hope
It is necessary that I begin this essay by stating my personal beliefs concerning the death penalty. Fundamentally, I am not opposed to the death penalty for the most violent of offenders. I believe that, if a person, such as a serial killer, admits to committing heinous murders, and law enforcement has the evidence supporting the murderer's confession beyond a reasonable doubt in a juries collective mind, I do not have a problem with the use of the death penalty. Yet, when I consider that there is the slightest possibility that even one innocent person could be executed mistakenly, I am forced to admit that the death penalty is unjust and potentially cruel for adults, as well as juveniles. I think that murderers, whether adult or juvenile, are both dangerous and, to different degrees, mentally disturbed. Both have proved that they lack the self control to remain in society. Yet, juveniles have not developed mentally enough to be considered the same as their adult counterparts.
In Roper v. Simmons, the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty for juveniles under the age of eighteen at the time of committing the crime was "a violation of the Eighth Amendment's protection against cruel and unusual punishment." Researchers and authors, Regoli and Hewitt (2006), mention three "differences between adults and juveniles" that helped to bring the Court to their decision: "juveniles lack maturity and responsibility", they "are more vulnerable to outside influences", and their "character is not as fully formed as that of an adult." I agree with this decision. Juveniles are not completely developed mentally, nor should they be considered "adults" at this age. The effect of "outside influences" should be apparent to anyone remembering their adolescent years, when, lacking the establishment of personal values, we all have done things that we would not have done without the pressure of our peers and negative role models. We, as individuals, are unique, thus, we all develop mentally, and physically, at different rates and to varying degrees of ability. Seemingly, this incomplete developmental stage of juveniles led the Supreme Court to voice its opinion "that juvenile murderers could be rehabilitated." Yet, is this true?
Regoli and Hewitt admit that "we have not obtained the knowledge we need to design, or even agree on, effective methods of reforming individuals." It is possible that certain juveniles could be rehabilitated after murdering, though, the previous admission makes it seem unlikely. Sentences of life without parole seem appropriate for juveniles who commit heinous murders because we can not reliably rehabilitate them at this time. Additionally, this life sentence can, at anytime, be changed by a judge. It is possible that the future will bring new technology or theories that facilitate the rehabilitation of adult and juvenile "lifers". For now, though, we must maintain our safety by locking murderers, of any age, safely away.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)