But things are always different when you personalise them...In theory, I don't believe in the death sentence but if someone murdered someone I love then would I believe in 'an eye for an eye'? probably.

yeah, *I* might try and do something about it, but i wouldn't expect the government to get involved. why should an australian have more rights to clemency than a singaporean?

if they believe strongly and passionately enough that they need to change government, then yes i do believe that.

I am not saying an Australia should have more rights to clemency then a Singaporean. I abhore capital punishment full stop.

As citizens of a "democray" I expect the government to protect it's citizens, regardless of stupidity.

Australia abandoned capital punishment, and should do everything in it's power to prevent it being imposed.

Come back to me when your child is laid on a cold slab, dead from an OD that some "TWAT" pushing drugs ultimately caused.

But it's OK as long as he has a chance to think about it and be let free at some point to "MAKE AMENDS" ( I think not!! )

Not while western countries continue to sell arms to the tinpot govenments to oppress them they can't.

While we a quoting the bible I personally think it is better to take the moral high ground and say "judge not lest ye be judged".

Also, "an eye for an eye" is not relevant in the case of capital punishment and is one of the most interpreted quotes from the bible.

In the new testament Christ taught forgiveness. This supercedes "an eye for an eye"

I have been to singapore many times and everyone of the Singaporeans I have spoken too have one unique thing in common. They ar very proud to BE Singaporean and indeed proud at what they have achieved, many are very anti drugs. I agree and do sympathise with this poor guy who may be executed. He is a mule and indeed is small fry, all the Aust government can do is try to petition on his behalf and that of his family.

I do indeed with an earlier comment that life should mean life and that they should be made to work and earn there keep. In this case though, I do feel some sympathy, death is a little harsh, but look at Singapores crime rate.....

Justin

You are warned enough going into Singapore that it carries a death penalty for drugs - but still you get the odd person in transit doing it.They hanged a westerner when I was living there, got caught in a coffee shop dealing with drugs. All his appeals failed

Yes it is a deterrent, Singapore would be absolutely full of drugs due to it's geography if it did not have harsh penalties. Most sane people there stay well clear of anything to with drugs because of the penalties.

I lived and worked there for around five years before coming to aus - and it does work - it's a deterrent for most people. The place would be absolutely full of drugs if they did not have harsh penalties for this

What I also think they do - anyone who has lived there will know what I mean when I say" secret police".
Is also set you up - Once we were offered drugs at our local hawker center by a bloke on a scooter, just plonks himself down as you do and starts friendly chat, then about half an hour later asks if we want any drugs - hubby grabbed him by the scruff and told him to f off before he decks him, our friend who owned the coffee shop went up the wall and also was really worried about it.

But saying all that I certainly do not agree with the death penalty , if you had asked me many years ago when I was a naive teenager do I agree with it , I would have said yes

Apparently figures show according to an article in last week's sunday paper here that people in Aus who tend to agree with death penalties are the most likely to know little about its facts

" I was amazed at the number of Australians that didn't care about this poor man's life." quote form one of the above posts

A lot of people only care when it's too late, people should have been fighting this full on months and months ago and not running around like blue arse flies now, not that I think that would have made a difference.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...5416&page=3&pp

cheers

but australia has no jurisdiction outside of australia.

for the record, i don't agree with capital punishment either.

Do you know any thing about Heroin addiction?

I was having this serious discussion with ADL last night.

If this happens to our child in the future, what will we do? He said "I would disown him/her, and of course I'll still visit him/her in his/her last days." I agree too, may be I won't disown my own child, but if I know my child's guilty of the crime, then I expect him/her to receive the punishment. I only have myself to blame for not having prevented the crime earlier.

If anyone says the death penalty doesn't stop people from bringing drugs into some of these Asian countries, they are wrong. I will use Van Nguyen and many before him as examples to teach my children, make sure they understand the consequences. When they commit a crime and get caught, they are not the only ones getting punished, it's the whole family and all those who care for them as well. I will also teach them to respect the laws of other countries however different they are from ours.

If I was in Van Nguyen's mother's shoes, I would grieve for as long as I needed to, but also I would spend the rest of my life educating young people what drugs and drug trafficking could do to one's life.

Mrs JTL

I do beleive in capital punishement, i,e, peadophiles molesters, but being selective.... one rule for one but not for another? But for this guy......biut excessive

peados should just have their bits cut off - mandatory!

Unfortunately, I don't believe that helps. You don't need a penis to rape someone, there have been stories of women being raped with bottles etc.