The Execution

The Frontline episode "The Execution," portrayed the story Clifford Boggess as he waited on Death Row. Clifford Boggess admitted to committing the murder of two older men and is guilty of stealing their money. I do not think that Boggess should be executed solely because I do not believe in the death penalty, but I do think that Clifford Boggess should get a harsh punishment (life in jail). Boggess clearly committed the crime and it is clear that he does not feel remorse for his crimes. Every time Boggess was pictured he seemed to be putting up a front of humanistic behavior, but ultimately did not truly apologize or recognize his crimes with any emotion. He tried to convince others that he had changed during his time on death row through his conversion to Christianity and his new passion for art. However, I think that Boggess is still the same man who is just trying to appear different for the cameras. I do not think that his religious conversion was legitimate as he seemed to be quoting Bible passages without true knowledge of their meaning. He said that he believed the Bible stated that G-d had forgiven him for his sins, so I think that his search for absolution is a more reasonable explanation for his religious conversion. He wanted to pass off his crimes as not being a big deal, and used religion as an excuse to do so. The art was also just a distraction as he planned to use the money to have his body cremated. He was attempting to make a spectacle and a story out of his death. Even if his religious conversion and artistic aspirations represented true change, it does not alter the fact that Boggess was guilty so he should be punished.

However, the death penalty is not the answer. I personally am against purposefully taking another humans life when there are other options. Life in prison is a more reasonable punishment that serves the same purpose as the death penalty. Criminals are off the street and in confinement. Victims families should get the same satisfaction from this punishment as they might from the death penalty. Although, I do not think that the death penalty really brings closure. It just represents another death, but this death is now on the hands of the jury and the victim's families. We should not make these people bear that burden. The problems with the application of the death penalty were apparent in Leslie Gosch's experience. He was actually in the death chamber multiple times before he was eventually executed. Not only does this represent psychological cruelty as Gosch is forced to face death various times, but it reveals the inconsistencies with the application of the death penalty. Clearly, many could not agree on what was an appropriate sentence for Gosch who is legally blind. If minds are changed to the extent that Gosch is rescued from near death, then it is obvious that human minds cannot handle the strain of deciding on someones right to live or die.

Overall, this movie and these cases changed my understanding of the death penalty as they represented two sides of the situation. Boggess is guilty, but is it right for him to die? Gosch is legally blind and forced to face death multiple times, can humans really sentence other humans to death? I think that inherent problems with the death penalty's application (whether they are racial, monetary, etc) reveal that the death penalty should not be used as a punishment for crime.

Bullying

This article on bullying emphasizes the truth about bullying. Bullying happens every day and most people experience teasing or slight harrassment at one point in their lives. However, one aspect this article explores is what happens when bullying goes too far. Any type of bullying is terrible, but when certain lines are crossed or an individual is tormented on a regular basis, it can have tragic consequences. The story of Tyler Clementi demonstrates that one individual's idea of harmless fun can drive another person to kill himself. Ravi and Wei invaded Clementi's privacy in their videotape of his same sex personal encounter. Clementi threw himself off a bridge, fed up with the bullying. It is difficult for me to comprehend how two stable human beings, Ravi and Wei, would go so far in their bullying? Friends describe the two as funny and caring, but they did not display either characteristic in their persecution of Clementi. It is apparent in this article that bullying has become an extreme nation-wide problem when such events occur. What is even more awful, is that Clementi is one of many who have committed suicide due to bullying. The article lists numerous young people who have been tormented at school  and see death as their only way out.

I thought the Phoebe Prince article was interesting as it also explored the fate of the bullys. The teenage girls and guys faced ostracization from their community, and, essentially, more bullying. While I do believe that these individuals should be punished for their torment of Prince, the treatment they are recieving shows that there is a much deeper problem in our society. The bullys do not deserve to be bullied. This only creates an endless cycle in which people become confused about when bullying is "wrong" and when it is "right." Bullying is never right. This fact becomes murky when respectable adults are sending mixed messages to their children. It is apparent that parent's, teacher's, and other school officials must take a stronger stance against bullying and make an effort to connect with the kids. If adults set a good example and hold conversations about the effects of bullying, the message would get across and bullying would, hopefully, decrease. This is proven by the last article in the packet-- "confessions of a bully." Daniel Harrison daily tormented a girl in his grade. He believed that it was all in good fun, as he never meant to hurt her. He only wanted to tease her as he enjoyed being in control. It wasn't until he talked to his parents and the mother of the girl he was tormenting that he realized the extent to which his bullying had effected Courtney. Being lectured by the school, his parents, and seeing Courtney's distress allowed Harrison to see his teasing from another side. Having this ability caused him to stop his bullying. In fact, he now speaks out against bullying and befriends kids who are bullied. This article gives hope that bullys can be reformed-- young kids do not have to die due to the hurtful words of another teenager.

Drug Testing in Schools

The presence of random drug testing in schools is commonplace now, but in the 1990's it was the subject of heated debate. The 1985 case of New Jersey v. TLO established a school's ability to warrantless search. The aftermath of this decision can be blatantly seen in our school handbook. Under Searches/Seizures it states that "students have no right of privacy in school property." Any student's belongings can be searched by authorized school personnel. This invasion of privacy was deemed necessary in order to counteract what many viewed as a serious threat to public safety that warranted screening--the prevalent use of drugs and alcohol. Schools experienced rising rates in the usage of these illicit drugs and attempted to combat this problem by removing student's rights. One such school in Vernonia instituted drug testing from 7th grade to 12th grade for anyone who wanted to play a sport. This policy came under scrutiny in Vernonia v. Acton. The Acton family prohibited their 7th grade son from participating in a random drug test so he could play soccer. They declared the policy unconstitutional and an encroachment on an individual's fourth amendment rights. The Actons stated that drug testing was punishing everyone, even those for which the school had no reasonable suspicion they were participating in illegal actions. I personally think that both sides have merit. The Acton's make a good point that it is unfair to punish those who are innocent. Drug testing in middle school seems a little extreme and unnecessary. It would seem much more cost and time-effective to drug test only those who are brought in on suspicion of using drugs or drinking. However, it is a blatant fact that a school's ultimate goal is safety. Therefore, this includes a reasonable expectation that privacy rights will decrease. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of Vernonia stating that a school is an extension of the governemnt and must promote safety. In the face of illicit activity, this protection of safety can involve decreasing the rights of students. This brings me back to the statement in my handbook that "students have no right of privacy in school property." This is a scary statement. However, it is clear that schools and the outside world are very different and must, therefore, have different rules.

7 Days in September

This movie brought to light many different aspects of 9/11 that I had never encountered before. The images of the city, dusty and desolate, impacted my memories of 9/11 by adding more information and emotion to my previous conception of the terrorist attacks. The movie also raised various issues that occurred during and after the attacks. One of the moments that was most striking to me was when the members of a mosque near the Twin Towers were handing out pamphlets about Islam a few days after 9/11. The mood in the country after the these terrorist attacks was very anti-Muslim. When a man began arguing with the workers, although he appeared angry and uneducated, he was expressing a point of view that many Americans held at the time. The fear that the Americans felt due the apparent vulnerability of their country and the extreme anger felt by the New Yorkers, translated into a need to find an outlet for those emotions. This outlet was found by finding something to do. Blaming an entire community, and taking their anger out on the closest representation of this community that they could find, gave the people a sense of purpose. The prospect of the Iraq War was welcomed by most Americans because everyone wanted to bring justice to those who had killed thousands of innocent Americans. This was very interesting to me because I could definitely see where the man who was arguing with the people outside the mosque was coming from, but it also made me upset. With the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that placing the blame on the entire Muslim community has encouraged nothing but unfounded, negative prejudice and discrimination. The Iraq War has lost public support and there are many terrorists still at large. It would have been much better if the members of the mosque and other Muslims had a chance to speak and be heard. It is necessary for Americans to accept that all Muslims are not terrorists. By discriminating based on religion we lost the opportunity to have engage in discussion with the majority of those Muslims who had nothing against America. These people may have become a valuable ally in rooting out other extremists. Instead, we have created a legacy of hatred that still continues today.