I was alarmed but not altogether surprised to read that Marie… did not want [her assailant] to be locked up but rather that they should receive a punishment “so that they understand.” Understand what, precisely? That hitting a defenceless woman in the face ten times with a knuckleduster isn’t a nice thing to do? But they understood this already, only too well: It was precisely their understanding that impelled them to do it… Presumably Marie had in mind something such as psychoanalysis, perhaps mixed with a little compulsory social work or planting flowers in municipal flowerbeds. This is like trying to talk reason to Pol Pot at the apogee of his power, to get him to stand down by persuading him that what he was doing was wrong.
Never should have done away with the cat o nines. Corporal punishment is the only punishment I’d be interested in seeing work. A few public displays would scare some this straight.
Marie was right. Her assailant would understand perfectly if a guy as large as he was compared to Marie were to hit him in the face ten times with a knuckleduster.
thugs understand the language that they “speak” best, so use it!
Double taps to the chest?
Bring back public flogging in stocks
Nope, that is an honourable death. Hang by neck until shits itself seems more appropriate.
Stocks, eh?
Hhmmm….
This statement captures it all for me: “Marie, like all the sentimentalists who confuse law with therapy, believes that firmness and cruelty are the same. This unwillingness or inability to make proper distinctions is a symptom of our time.”
Sentimentality and emotionalism define liberalism and are strong arguments against women having the vote. (Waiting for a strong negative response………)
“After the attack, she received many expressions of sympathy from her pupils—cards decorated with hearts and other such kitsch—but it is interesting to speculate why, though numerous, none of them came to her physical assistance at the time of the attack.”
Interesting question. I have an interesting answer: conflict resolution training. Modern schools are factories for teaching kids to be passive in the face of authority.
They were waiting for the thug to kill her,so they could all feel good about themselves by laying flowers at one of those makeshift memorials that seem to rise up anywhere something has happened.
When in danger, “dial 9-11”.