que pasa

You have probably heard about it - Singapore hung 25-year-old Australian Vietnamese Van Ngyuen for smuggling 14 ounces of heroin into the country this morning. According to reports, Australians are torn on the issue as to whether they support the sentence or not. Some call the Singapore government “barbaric”, “inhumane” and “merciless” for sentencing such a young and apparently repentant man to death. Some say, “Look, if you are going to kill the guy, at least do it humanely.”

For the record, Singaporeans are also torn on the matter. My friend forwarded an email to me to sign an online petition opposing the death penalty. My friend rarely speaks out for political matters and to see her forward the email with a personal note told me that this matter had really gotten to her. She is not the only one. But I did not sign the online petition because I am with the government on this, as are other Singaporeans. This does not mean that I support capital punishment or agree that the death penalty is the appropriate punishment. It means that I support the government for holding their ground.

Some say the weak and cowardly are the ones who are cannot change. That is irrelevant as far as this matter is concerned. A 25-year-old is fully capable of understanding the consequences of his actions. Right before you enter Singapore’s borders, there are signs and announcements to remind you drug traffickers caught will be sentenced to death in Singapore. It does not matter what the law is back home, you are entering another country so you are subject to their law. In Rome, do as the Romans do. Blatant ignorance of clear warnings against drug trafficking is to seek death upon yourself.

If the government had pardoned the man, what message does that send to the families of previous offenders and people who try to smuggle drugs into the country in the future? The law has rarely been lenient and kind. Justice is blind. And it can be harsh. Defy it at your own expense. As for those who think death by hanging is inhumane, that is entirely irrelevant. Why should the death sentence be sugar-coated? If someone has the guts to bring in things that destroy the users’ lives in exchange for some quick cash, why should his/her life be ended with any kindness as punishment for such thoughtless deeds?

For those who think that the offenders have some very “valid” reasons for doing the deed (say someone is threatening to kill someone you love), I can only say that carrying out the crime and losing your life as a result helps absolutely no one. It does not help you because you are dead; it does not solve the first problem in any way because you die never knowing if the matter was resolved at all; and goodness knows, the problem may have been exacerbated by your death (i.e. maybe your loved one was murdered by the kidnapper). It is not worth it. It is never worth it.

Am I a heartless bitch? I know that Papa would readily give people (including me) a second chance anytime no matter what their offense was and so I should too, but I also know that Papa would want me to submit to the authorities put above me. So I support my government on this matter.