jwp (09/01/82)
Apparently, houxb!marys took a lot of flack for (1) submitting an article to net.general that someone thought should have gone elsewhere, and (2) suggesting that it is WRONG that the rapist Giorgianni not be jailed for his crime. As for the first of these: You have, friend houxb!marys, correctly performed the function of all acolytes in all religions: allowing someone to demonstrate their guruhood by taking on the pure flame of the TRUE BELIEVER to burn you clean of your sin and light your way to the TRUE PATH. We must take comfort in the knowledge that if we carefully study and imitate the actions and attitudes of our superiors we, too, may someday achieve holiness. As for the second: The man committed rape. The penalty for rape in this society is being jailed. Therefore, the man should be jailed. You SHOULD feel outraged that he is not. Do not allow specious arguments about asthma to mitigate that feeling. Asthma did not prevent him from committing the rape; there is no reason it should prevent him prevent him from suffering the penalty. Nor does he deserve to be differently from other rapists. Was the rape committed in an air controlled room? If he is 'uncomfortable' breathing the same air as other criminals, that's too bad. Perhaps he'll remember that the next time he contemplates rape (though, frankly, I doubt it). John Pierce, UC San Diego ucbvax!sdcsvax!sdchema!jwp
rick (09/08/82)
I'm not particularly interested in this discussion and I think it has taken up entirely too much of my time 'n' -ing through the articles on it, but.... as an asthma sufferer myself, I feel compelled to comment that the penalty for rape is *not* slow death by asphyxiation. Untreated, asthma can kill. The treatment for it is air-conditioning. (There are drugs that help, but they have serious side-effects if taken over a long period.) Don't get me wrong. I'm not defending rapists. But even convicted criminals have some rights. Adequate medical treatment is one such right. I've already said more than the subject deserves!