an eye for an eye and the world goes blind

By giving no reaction to their actions you will take away their power. And by not reacting to someone’s cruel actions you’ll often disarm them. Never stoop to the behavior of a violent person. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other”. But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. Another famous sage said it much better than I: “You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. This non-violent attitude, the opposite reaction to a violent action, can be effective in dealing with all sorts of behaviours, including verbal abuse. But killing even the most depraved person sends the wrong message. Of course violent, psychopaths still need to be placed in secure prisons so they can harm no more. This far more positive message is the starting point of any civilized society. Therefore, the state must act as if it is precious, and under no circumstances should it take a life. My reason for abolishing the death penalty is that we should view life as truly ‘precious’. In other words, it is not a deterrent to people who will kill someone…state sanctioned violence may actually encourage violence! This is Gandhi’s central point. It’s true! For people who want to abolish the practice of capital punishment the best argument is its lack of efficacy. Others point out that in countries where the death penalty has been abolished there has been a decline in murder rates. Many argue that the main reason for ending the death penalty is that sometimes convictions are erroneous and as a result innocent people have been executed. Hell, let’s remember that in the past people have been hung for stealing a loaf of bread! I for one believe that no crime deserves the death penalty. The problem is (still) defining just which type of crime should result in the death of the perpetrator? For example, what type of murder - only premeditated? Or, what about treason – any treason or only where lives are/were clearly endangered? These are tough questions…and there are many more cases of various crimes that some believe should be subject to capital punishment. At a ‘gut level’ it seems a natural feeling. On an emotional level it’s hard not to want to punish criminals who commit heinous acts. Defenders of this practice believe that certain crimes warrant the taking of the offender’s life. One of the most controversial subjects in civilized societies, where each life is considered precious, is the question of a death penalty. The consequences of the “eye for an eye” philosophy result in an endless cycle of violence. Gandhi’s point being that simplistic retribution is not the solution to the world’s ills. This quote by Gandhi is a reference to the famous passage from Leviticus in the Bible (from the part known as the “Old Testament” by Christians – an often strange and fanciful document).

An eye for an eye and the world goes blind