AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life Living in Belize Sad day for AC

Capt Jeff, I too believe in capital punishment. zapmad.. i don't believe for a moment that supporting a death penalty makes one just as bad as the criminal. there is more to it than that. just because we have different views doesn't mean we lack morals. at the same time i can respect your opinion that you oppose it. i don't agree, but that doesn't matter <<offers handshake>>

I think everybody that has been posting about this horrible incident is simply expressing concern, sympathy, and sharing different ideas and beliefs about how to make a tough situation better. Many of us may differ in opinion, so what??? I for one feel helpless that I can't bring dinner to his grieving family or start a fund to help those he left behind. So, I post a few words to you great folks that I haven't met but feel good knowing and I say a few prayers. Can one of you carry an extra candle on my behalf at the rally?

Perhaps candles should be sold for $5 or $10 or $20 to benefit the fatherless family?

Rykat. I am not joking. Punishing the perpetrators after the crime is committed is exactly closing the gate after the horse has bolted. Hello. Someone is dead. It wasn't prevented. All of the residents on this list are stating quite clearly that there has been an ongoing problem that has not been addressed. Punishing the perps will not bring that poor man back.

What experience have I had. Well I am a behavioural psychologist who has studied the effects of punishment for some time, so I suspect I have some understanding in respect to punishment and it's benefits. If you had read my post correctly, you would have seen that I stated that the perpetrators should be punished severely.

Please make no effort to make the gap between the haves and have nots any wider as long as you are happy to live under seige in a community where people have their noses rubbed in prosperity which is beyond their possible dreams. This is what has happened in underdeveloped countries with communities full of wealthy foreigners all over the world. It is not rocket science and it certainly is not a manifesto. Personally I would rather have my neighbours like me and not want to rob me. Or at the very least would prefer them not to protect those who have robbed me. What that has to do with communism, I am not sure, or is that just terminology that you feel is insulting.

There is nothing wrong with catching them, trying them and hanging them. It goes a long way to making a society feel protected. But it has been proven many many times all over the world (especially in the USA) that capital punishment does not prevent or reduce crime. It can make those who are fearful feel a damned site better and I personally have very little against it.

Either way, Rykat, I would suggest that you save your rhetoric for those who have committed the crimes and those who have failed to prevent that from happenning. Shouting 'commie' at anyone who does not immediately spring on the hang draw and quarter bandwagon can be very unbecoming and rather unhelpful to a discussion which is primarily about dealing with a serious crime issue in a small community.

A friend suggests chopping off thieves hands. Other thieves may think twice after noticing their parntners with no hands. Almost like a death sentence here in Belize.

Dramatic? yes, effective? I don't know?

That is a punishment which is used in some middle eastern countries. Amongst the very poor it has not proven tremendously effective and has led to many problems with begging amputees.

...let's unleash the rath of the "behavioural" psycologist on those thugs. That IS cruel and unusal punishment!!! :rolleyes:

Or how about a "behavioural proctologist"?

ha ha ha

collyk, I believe Belize is not exactly like many other countries of Latin America, we do not have such a visible dissparity of wealth , as few Belizian are extremely wealthy. San Pedro is now home to many expats who have homes and condominiums here. In the past few year quite a number of sumputious homes have been built, but most homes and condos are occupied by people who are only here for a few weeks or a month a year. Obviously, they are not always in tune with the problems of the community. I might add that many of these people I know personally and they have been very generous in giving money for need projects or helping families in need. The majority of expats who reside here on a full time basis are working people who are not wealthy by any means, but have a strong sense of community and do give much time to community projects. San Pedro has been cultivated as a tourist destination and as such attracts foreign investors. I believe any programs dealing with social reform can only be achieved by Belizians. In the meantime the increase of violent crime affects us all, and needs to be addressed now and in firm fashion.

...too funny, Jesse!! Butt-boys to the rescue!!!