Svengali wrote on Apr 17
th, 2015 at 9:40pm:
Most of the denizens on this BBS are ignorant of the fact that the objective of the law is rehabilitation not punishment.
The magistrate was correct in rewarding ostensibly good behaviour.
The real problem with this man is whether the police and other provacateurs will push him too far and cause him to react excessively.
Next to war the greatest inherent power of the State is punishment...
Can't remember who said that... but it implies that the 'safest' and most 'traditional' course for the State is to seek punishment and not rehabilitation.... thus the State itself is an instrument of violence, often the greatest degree, quality and and quantity of violence, as proven by history.
Who indeed guards the guard while the guard guards you?
The greatest social burden on any democratic people is to ensure that its own government behaves correctly and does not take on the mantle of violence for its own sake or for the sake of its chosen ideology. You see a lot of that here..... and it's been increasing over the past thirty plus years as a matter of policy.
We, as a society, need to determine where the rights, privileges, and entitlements™ of government begin and end...... before it is too late.