Capital Punishment

 

Capital punishment has been practiced in the world’s legal systems since the ancient world and even though it has of the most part been abolished in the country, it is still practiced in many countries all over the world. Capital punishment is considered to be among the worst punishments that an individual can be handed by the justice system. It is handed down to individuals that have committed such serious crimes as murder and treason.

A consequence is that it has long been considered a means through which to ensure that individuals in society are dissuaded from committing serious crimes. Furthermore, it is considered to be an act of justice because it allows for a level of retribution, where the families of those who lost a loved one end up receiving a level of closure following the sentencing of a perpetrator of murder to death. Therefore, capital punishment is considered as an essential means of making sure that there is the advancement of law and order as well as justice in society. It is a measure that can be used for the sake of ensuring the creation of an environment where individuals are discouraged from committing crimes that put public safety at risk and going against the established social norms. Capital punishment has only been abolished within the past few years, but during this time, there has been a considerable increase in the level of serious crimes in society.

Capital punishment should be reintroduced because it is a means through which to ensure that individuals who commit serious crimes are held accountable for their actions. This is an extremely important reason because this form of punishment will help in promoting a situation where individuals are discouraged from undertaking actions that might lead to serious consequences. In an age where terrorism has become a menace to society, it is essential to ensure that there is a punishment that is sufficient for those individuals who deem to attack innocent members of society. Under such circumstances, a return of the death penalty will go a long way towards making sure that terrorists are given the punishment that they deserve. Such individuals should not be allowed to remain within society because even in situations where they are given life sentences, they have the potential of radicalizing other prisoners that they meet in prison. In such a situation, the menace that is terrorism will not be easily destroyed, and will continue to increase to such an extent that it becomes impossible to bring perpetrators under control. However, with the return of capital punishment, it will be possible to get rid of dangerous elements of society once and for all, and this will not only bring about a level of justice for those who were victims, but will also allow for the considerable reduction of crime in society.

In conclusion, it is important that the utmost consideration is put in place in a situation where capital punishment is returned. This is especially considering that the original reason for the removal of capital punishment was that it was not only an inhumane form of punishment, but it also involved some innocent individuals being unjustly sentenced to death. However, capital punishment is still needed in the contemporary world to ensure that there is the development of means to combat the new criminal challenges of the contemporary world. Such crimes as terrorism cannot be effectively dealt with without the use of severe punishment, and only capital punishment can rid society of such elements once and for all.

Should Patriots Use Acts of Terrorism in the Formation of their Government?

The creation of a sovereign government is one of the most important events that can take place. This is because it involves individuals undertaking their patriotic duty towards ensuring that they create a government that puts into consideration all of their nationalist aspirations. In the contemporary world, there have been instances where terrorism has been used by patriots as a means of creating their government. Such instances have been seen in countries such as Israel and Northern Ireland, where patriotic groups have made use of terrorism to achieve their objectives. This paper argues that there are instances where it is inevitable that patriots must use terrorism to create their government, because while patriotism is a motive, terrorism can be considered a means of achieving this motive.

Among the most significant acts by patriots in a bid to ensure the creation of their state through terrorist activities were those of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The IRA was for a long time categorized as a terrorist organization by not only the British government, but also its allies. This was despite the fact that this organization did not partake in violence for its own sake, but rather sought to bring about the independence of Northern Ireland. This organization, rather than being motivated by such aspects as religion or money, the IRA sought to ensure that there was the advancement of the rights the nationalists in Northern Ireland, especially when it came to the achievement of independence from Britain (Martin, 2012, p.231). The IRA orchestrated several bombing campaigns as well as organizing an armed opposition to British rule in Northern Ireland; a campaign that continued for decades. A result of this situation was that while this organization did not attain its objective of bringing about the independence of Northern Ireland, it was able to ensure that it promoted the achievement of a peace settlement that sought to bring together the nationalist and loyalist groups in the country (Martin, 2012, p.457). The case of the IRA is fundamental because it shows the manner through which despite the use of terrorism, this organization was able to achieve its objectives, which were patriotic rather than conducted for malicious purposes. The use of terror by the IRA was able to achieve the recognition of the rights of Irish nationalists, and despite not gaining independence; the Irish nationalists have attained a place in the Northern Irish government.

The use of terrorism to achieve patriotic goals can be considered the right course, because it seeks to ensure that there is a respect for the rights of individuals in the regions where they live. Most liberation movements, no matter their methods, have often been categorized as terrorist organizations, as seen with such groups as the IRA in Ireland, and Lehi in the Palestinian Mandate. Patriotic groups often resort to terrorism in situations where they feel that their concerns are not being addressed by the government within which they live (Marsden, 2016). A consequence is that they seek to ensure there is a level of advancement of their objective through the creation of their own government. These groups, such as the ETA, which promotes Basque independence, often face innumerable odds because the actors that they challenge are stronger than them, with more resources (Leonisio, 2015). Under such circumstances, one of the most effective ways of making sure that there is the advancement of their interests is the use of terror. Terrorism gets the attention of state actors that stand in the way of patriots creating their government, meaning that it can be considered as a weapon of the weaker party. Without the use of acts of terrorism, it is unlikely that the aspirations of patriots to form their own governments would be respected, because these acts ensure that they put as much pressure as possible to the dominant power or state so that they can be allowed to pursue their objectives.

In conclusion, in situations where patriots desire to create their own governments, they are often ignored by the prevailing powers at the time. A consequence is that they have to resort to dramatic displays that will get the attention of these powers. Under such circumstances, the use of terrorism is an effective way of not only gaining the objectives of patriotic organisations, but also putting as much pressure as possible on the dominant parties to such an extent that they end up either giving in to the aspirations of the patriots, or coming to a negotiated settlement with them. Thus, terrorist acts by patriots are a political tool by weaker parties aimed at the achievement of negotiated settlements.