More links on the death penalty

Missouri poised to execute sixth inmate in 2014 despite fresh doubts (Guardian article)

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Death Penalty (HBO) (funny video)

Resist!

Is our secret safe tonight
And are we out of sight
Will our world come tumbling down?
Will they find our hiding place
Is this our last embrace
Or will the world stop caving in?

It could be wrong
Could be wrong
But it should've been right
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
To let our hearts ignite
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
Are we digging a hole
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
This is out of control
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
It can never last
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
Must erase it fast
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
But it could've been right
It could be wrong could be

Love is our resistance
They'll keep us apart they wont stop breaking us down
Hold me
Our lips must always be sealed

If we live our life in fear
I'll wait a thousand years
Just to see you smile again
Kill the prayers for love and peace
You'll wake the thought police
We can't hide the truth inside

It could be wrong
Could be wrong
But it should've been right
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
To let our hearts ignite
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
Are we digging a hole
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
This is out of control
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
It can never last
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
Must erase it fast
It could be wrong
Could be wrong
But it could've been right
It could be wrong could be

Love is our resistance
They'll keep us apart they wont stop breaking us down
Hold me
Our lips must always be sealed

The night has reached it's end
We can't pretend
We must run 
We must run 
It's time to run

Take us away from here
Protect us from further harm 
RESISTANCE...

Death penalty

Hardly a week goes by without an other report of executed inmates in some countries like the States, China, Iran and Philippines, appearing in the news. However, I am convinced that nobody has the right to claim a life, even if the convicted has committed the most ultimate offense, thus I am inclined to believe that the death penalty should be abolished.

The protesters against the penalty of capital punishment claim that if murder is wrong, because it violates a person’s right to life, then it must be wrong for the state to take a person’s life. As the famous motto goes, ‘two wrongs do not make a right’. Obviously, the only difference between an individual murderer and the authorities who execute the condemned to death inmate , is that the state kills with the permission of the court, even though that doesn’t mean that sentencing someone to death is the right thing.

On the other hand, the supporters of the legal execution concede that without capital punishment as a deterrent, more lives would be lost since the homicide rate will go up. Nevertheless, the murder rate in the U.S is nearly three times higher than the U.K which has not established this kind of penalty, so it is obvious that if a person reaches the point of becoming a murderer, he doesn’t  bear in mind the consequences of his actions and the death penalty does not function as an obstacle. Besides the moral issues and the effectiveness of killing criminals, judicial systems are fallible and errors are made quite often. Consequently, with capital punishment it is inevitable that sooner or later innocent people will be executed. This is clearly illustrated by the case of Troy Antony Davis, who stayed in death row for years and was executed in 2011, albeit there was little evidence against him and nothing could be done in order to bring him back to life. 

To sum up, capital punishment is a really thorny issue. Countries like China and Iran should take all issues into consideration and think of alternative punishments in order to finally achieve the abolition of the death penalty.

ECPE Speaking, stages 2 and 3

STAGE 2

Student A.

OPTION 1

In the first alternative, the penalty is a six month sentence in adult prison.

This punishment is a very strict one, since the young boy will have to undergo a shock therapy which is going to modify his behavior.

Furthermore, because the people responsible take juvenile crime seriously in this detention center, (this is unrelated to the next sentence) the 17-year-old offender will be forced to socialize with stern criminals, such as burglars,forgers and murderers as well. Obviously this punctilious type of retribution is going to gratify the injured party.

However, because of the lack of leniency, free psychiatric treatment is included.

OPTION 2

The second option is six months in a detention center for juveniles. This sentence includes a military type of discipline, as the inmates have to march every morning, although, it is not as harmful as the first option, since the adolescent is not going to mix ed with serious criminals (comparisons will be made in later stages). Moreover, this program is composed of a variety of (reading and writing) activities and classes to upgrade the literacy skills of the offenders. In addition, the staff is knowledgeable in dealing with young criminals and, apart from that, there are psychologists who assist the convicts twice a week.

Student B.

OPTION 1

My first option is electronic tagging and curfew.

The offender is going to be under custody for 24 hours with an implanted a microchip that uses GPS system technology.

Moreover, the teenage boy supervised will have to stay indoors from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., so the stigma is less than when being an actual prisoner.

However, once a week it is mandatory to have a meeting with a police social worker.

The good thing is that the teenager remains in the community and he is able to study, work or do ing extracurricular activities and the only reason to get imprisoned is the removal of the microchip from his ankle.

OPTION 2

My alternative option (the final option/ choice/ solution/ punishment available) is the community service punishment.

In this kind of sentence, the offender has to stay at home and work for 8 hours per day for the local parks department under the supervision of experts. The point is that if he fails to complete this task, he is getting imprisoned immediately.

(Apart from the degrading outdoors working) Even though working outdoors may seem degrading to an adolescent, the good thing is that he will be able to get a piece of valuable advice in order to obtain a job in the future.

STAGE 3

A)Right then, the second option seems more appropriate retribution for this young offender- I am talking about the six months in a detention center for juveniles. What is the option you consider to be best?

B)I would say that community service fits this teenager better, as it is not such a strict penalty and it helps him to fit into society straight away. What led you to your second choice?

A) Well, this alternative combines discipline which is indispensable and education too, for instance there is a military type of marching everyday morning and classes for improving literacy skills. What makes you think that community service is the right choice?

B)I firmly believe that in this way the boy is going to give back to the society what it deserves, by working outdoors under the supervision of experts. Apart from that, he is staying in his home and doesn’t lose the paternal and maternal support. Thus, I tend to believe that my option is more appropriate than yours, don’t you agree?

A)I think that you have a point, although your option is too lenient ly and maybe the teenager is going to break the law again.

B) Yes, but bear in mind that if he fails to complete the schedule, he is going to be penalized with a sentence in prison.

A) That is correct. It is settled, then. The community service is just what is needed for the young offender to learn his lesson.

How are shoplifters treated in your country? Do you think that this is what they deserve?

I maintain that shoplifting in Greece is considered a petty crime, that's why shoplifters are detained for a short time. However, I firmly believe that most of those people's actions are a result of a kind of illness or addiction, thus they shouldn't be treated as criminals.

Vegetarianism

Over the past 10 years or so, it has become more common for adults to prefer greens in their nutrition, a movement widely known as vegetarianism, while the majority still insists on being meat eaters. However, it is (significantly) necessary to mention that both preferences have their own advantages and drawbacks that we need to bear in mind, so as to achieve healthy living.

Nowadays, it is widely believed that vegetarianism is as beneficial as meat consumption, since it includes all the vital materials that human beings need, like proteins, fats and vitamins. According to experts, vegetarians are extremely unlikely to suffer from protein deficiency,since they consume all the types of pulses, such as beans and lentils. Additionally, individuals who prefer greens include many kinds of cereals in their nutrition,which is valuable as they are fortified with vitamins. As a result, vegetarians are not in need of vitamin s supplements, which are not the proper remedy for deficiencies and can sometimes harm the whole organism. As far as animals’ rights are concerned,it can be argued that in some way being a vegetarian will contribute to the rescue of our fauna, as the number of animals which are slaughtered is increasing every day. Vegetarians are really sensitive with this matter because they maintain that animals are an essential part of our life cycle and they do not need to suffer.

On the other hand, one of the drawbacks of being a vegetarian is that green snacks can be hard to find in some places; thus, vegetarians sometimes give the impression that they are unnecessarily fussy and difficult at social events where they refuse to eat the same dishes as everyone else. Another disadvantage* is the missing pleasure, when vegetarians have to avoid all the delicious dishes which contain meat. Furthermore,vegetarians and vegans, which is an extreme form of vegetarianism, must not bring up their children on a vegan diet, (comma) since they need daily produce and eggs, otherwise they will be malnourished. Last but not least, we need to keep in mind that most of the vegetarians and vegans especially are likely to suffer from iron deficiency and from lack of vitamin B12, which plays an extremely vital role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system.

Taking everything into account, I am inclined to believe that the drawbacks of vegetarianism outweigh the advantages. (Full stop) However, a vegan or a vegetarian ism nutrition is like a double edged sword,as individuals can reap the benefits from an environmental perspective, but can simultaneously cause bodily malfunctions if their diet does not include all types of food in moderation.

*cons-> used in the plural only to refer to the negative side of an issue

Benefits and drawbacks of being a vegetarian

More and more people are deciding to turn to a vegetarian diet; this means that they consume no meat at all, and they substitute protein and vitamins with the appropriate amount of greens. Recent estimates provide that this alternative nutrition is particularly popular among the younger generations. Although there are some benefits in being a vegetarian, none would deny that there are also some serious drawbacks.

First of all, it is fiendishly healthy to consume greens in a daily diet, since blood pressure is maintained in normal levels because of the low quantity of cholesterol that is produced. That is why the majority of vegetarians do not suffer form heart diseases; more specifically, it is observed that those who avoid meat are 40% less likely to develop heart attacks and cancer as well. From an environmental viewpoint, animal rights are protected by this alternative nutrition, since the animals slaughtered are being reduced. Therefore, other living beings are respected if more people opt to consume more vegetables.

On the other hand, it is very inconvenient to be a vegetarian, owing to the fact that these kind of food , like lentils, salads and so on is extremely difficult to be cooked or found outside. Most of the times vegetarians can give the impression that they are unnecessarily fussy in social events where they refuse to eat the same dishes as everyone else. However, because there are very few vegetarian convenience foods, vegetarians spend more time cooking for themselves, and with a busy schedule that is not always possible. Another drawback of this alternative nutrition is that children cannot be brought up with a vegan diet, which is an extreme form of vegetarianism. At the very least, they need dairy produce and eggs, otherwise they will be malnourished and in the long run they might suffer from iron deficiency. 

The obvious conclusion to be drawn is that every coin has two sides, so insisting on vegetables would be as harmful as consuming exclusively meat. For this reason, I am inclined to believe that we should eat everything in moderation in order to have a healthy nutrition and achieve well-being.