The Oscar Pistorius trial and the crossbow killing of a woman in Benoni are graphic reminders that we live in a mortally sick society.
This culture of violence brings with it a morbid class of individuals, who believe that they are entitled to determine the value of other human lives.
We live in a culture that does not recognise the intrinsic distinction of individual worth.
There is mounting evidence that our violent society’s disregard for the value of human life has wrought unspeakable tragedy.
We are grimly reminded that the absence of a sanctity ethic results in the destruction of human life.
Violent crimes and murder are part of the cruellest, most inhuman and disparaging crimes that exist and they violate the victims right to life.
There are a few important primary causes to why each civilised state governed by law should impose the severest judgement, on such heinous crimes.
There are certain circumstances in which life imprisonment is, in fact, essential out respect for life.
If we do not, in our law, send the message to everyone that by calculatedly, coldly taking a human life in a way that, for instance, assaults the structure of law in a society, or shows a cold-bloodied and studied disregard for the value of that life, then we are actually sending a message of contempt for human life.
In itself, life imprisonment is not something desired.
But this awful punishment is forced by a sometimes ice cold brutal reality and the reality is that the back door to paradise is closed.
Harsh punishment should be viewed as one instrument among many in the fight for a more righteous and better world.
It is important that we dare and have the strength to place ourselves in the place of the victim since it is among us living that the victims of tomorrow lives.
Our voice is the voice of the victims.
This is the voice we should make known to society.
Every day it’s too late for a number of people to make known how they feel and think.
A lost human life can only be fully compensated through the maximum penalty as long as this does not happen there will in a symbolic way, be the call of blood from the ground with the message that the crime has not been atoned.
As long as a punishment bears no proportion to a crime then justice is weak and deadly sick.
Today the state governed by law is far away from justice and atonement, on the contrary the violent criminal and murderer receives much pity from the law.
Since justice is such a determining ingredient in the civilised state and since certain crimes warrant the harshest penalty in order for justice to be administered, it is clear that punishment and civilisation are closely intertwined.
