Violent times?

Question

Are we really living in such violent times? If you consider the violence seen by the human race throughout the ages... We are supposedly more sophisticated/ advanced than our ancestors because we don't torture criminals or hand out the death penalty (oh, but what about the rapist human rights). If for example somebody raped and killed my Auntie Gurtrude I would be overjoyed to know that person was going to be hung, drawn and quartered.

If the 'violent' people of today were born 400 years ago they would have been perfectly accepted for stabbing their 'enemy' (think of sword fights) and probably reveared as great warriors.

Discuss.......

Answer 1

I look at Victorian England, which beneath the veneer of repectability was an extremely violent place - child abuse was rife, murder and other serious crimes - including terrrorism - were commonplace, and petty theft and mugging were an everyday occurrence.

All this at a time when the death penalty was in force for murder and other capital crimes e.g. treason, many new prisons were being built, and the punishment for even minor offences was several months' gaol with hard labour. Oh yes, and offenders could be and often were flogged.

All of which goes to show that modern trends in crime have less to do with 'political correctness' and more to do with the sad fact that some human beings have always been violent and/or broken whatever laws were in force, in spite of so-called 'deterrents'.

Btw hanging, drawing and quartering was the punishment in former times for treason. Rape was also a capital offence, but then as now it was often difficult for the woman to prove.

Answer 2

this question should read why are we living in such violent times in my opinion because we are ran by political correctness and these do-gooders going on about human rights is the reason remember the saying eye for an eye tooth for a tooth maybe criminals would think again if prison was about hard labour and not so much like a holiday camp if they chose to take somebodies life they should have there's taking in return not by any injection or electric chair but by the family's of there victims

Answer 3

I am in total agreement and think that political correctness and fear of european reprisal should be cast aside- our present war with the taliban is not logical - Why shouldn't we use means available to us to progress sector by sector? I am personally frightened of what answers we would hear if we put politcians on a polygraph and asked why they hinder our defenders- this war is being fought on the opium poppy which is part of the reason that our country is on the downward spiral and should be understood by the world for what it is- imagine the smiles of the talban when they hear that heroin not only supplies them with money to by the weapons to carry on - but it also corrupts and diminishes once great nations. I'd personnally allow our soldiers whatever means necessary to WIN this war and reduce the crap the world has to continually face- anybody against this way of thinking ought to take a walk through bradford or manchester late at night and see for themselves what heroin does for us all.

Answer 4

we have been violent since humans were on earth