[Buddha-l] Re: Buddhist social deconstruction

[Stephen Hodge]

Bernie Simon wrote:

>  Like sons who have gone astray, prisoners should be punished
>  in such a way as to make them once again worthy members of society.

Though the actuality increasingly deviates from the ideal, it is being a 
prisoner, that is, merely the fact of being deprived of one's liberty, which 
is the punishment under British and most European penal codes.  Prisoners 
should not be additionally punished -- well, that's the ideal anyway.

I noticed a lot on people on TV in the US congratulating themselves how 
humane their society is because Moussaoui was sentenced to life 
imprisonment, but I wonder if the inhumane conditions of his incarceration 
are widely known ?   Some would say that it would be more merciful to 
execute the man instead.

Best wishes,
Stephen Hodge