It's still bugging me
Jan. 7th, 2004 02:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
woodfaceIn our modern time and age, our criminals have rights too. No matter how monstrous their deeds, they remain human. Calling anyone a goa'uld, is taking that humanity away. And that is wrong, I don't care if we're talking about a thief, a rapist, a murder or a terrorist or if you put names on it like Bush, Osama bin Laden or Hitler. It's plain wrong.
Why? Why does this bug and upset me? Because taking away the humanity of the criminal is taking away guilt. You stick a label on them and rob them of their face that makes them like you and I. Recognising the humanity of our criminals is recognising the danger that lies within everyone. You're kidding yourself when you label them as inhuman, you're trying to deny the possibility that someone close to you, maybe even you, are capable of bad things. Isn't knowing that, realising that there is a possibility that anyone can do wrong what makes us ultimately human? Isn't it our humanity that makes us recognise the humanity of the "sinners"?
Denying the humanity of a criminal terrifies me. Because the next thing you know, it's alright again to torture them, to take away their rights as a human and treat them like you would an insect.
Why? Why does this bug and upset me? Because taking away the humanity of the criminal is taking away guilt. You stick a label on them and rob them of their face that makes them like you and I. Recognising the humanity of our criminals is recognising the danger that lies within everyone. You're kidding yourself when you label them as inhuman, you're trying to deny the possibility that someone close to you, maybe even you, are capable of bad things. Isn't knowing that, realising that there is a possibility that anyone can do wrong what makes us ultimately human? Isn't it our humanity that makes us recognise the humanity of the "sinners"?
Denying the humanity of a criminal terrifies me. Because the next thing you know, it's alright again to torture them, to take away their rights as a human and treat them like you would an insect.
