Assignment 1: Blogging task in response to the two articles.

In the context of Singapore's multi-racial society, where there is cultural and religious pluralism, i believe that Szilagyi's view should be adopted.

According to Singer's point of view, freedom of expression is essential to any democratic countries and should thus not be limited. I agree to this point of view only to a small extent. I feel that it is very true that without any freedom of expression in one country, there will be no discussions held and thus no agreements reached between the people. This would mean that the people are somewhat 'forced' to accept and follow blindly what the government decides to do on various issues. It is just like what Singer has stated that if a view is not "fully, frequently, and fearlessly discussed," it will become "a dead dogma, not a living truth." A country without unity would then be unable to improve and remain in a stagnant situation.

However, things should have a limit, and in this case, freedom of expression is no exception. If there are no restrictions on freedom of expression, it could bring chaos to a multi-racial country like Singapore. More often that not, freedom of expression would encourage the people to voice out their honest opinions about issues which might turn out as criticisms to other racial groups or communities of people and offend others. Without any limits, the people would gradually tend to have a habit of speaking out immediately what they thought of in their minds without much consideration. These reckless acts would then cause disagreeements, quarrrels, fights or even in severe cases, racial riots.

Hence, i feel that only with Szilagyi's view of having more focus placed on social responbility would ensure peace within the different groups of people in a country like Singapore. With more focus placed on social responsibility, it does not mean that the public cannot voice their opinions freely anymore. They just have to do it while exercising more caution. This is also a form of respect for others and is the key in maintaining harmony between people. I feel that the country have been so peaceful for many years is because of the social responsibility and maturity in thinking that most Singaporeans have.

Just like what Szilagyi has mentioned that "There is no doubt that freedom of speech is an essential foundation of any democracy", we just have to practise more social responsibility at the same time in order to continue progressing together as one nation.

(:

Crime Discussion.

HOMEWORK:

to choose a crime (factual) and discuss the impacts and related issues of this crime.

CRIME CHOSEN:

Cho fits pattern of campus killers
By Kathryn Westcott
BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6567143.stm

I believe most people's initial reactions towards the Virginia Technological University's massacre would be blaming the killer, Cho Seung-hui, for his terrifying acts. But why didn't anybody questioned about why he has he done all that he did? I think this is equally important.

In his video, Cho says: "You have vandalised my heart, raped my soul and tortured my conscience. You thought it was one pathetic more life you were extinguishing. Thanks to you, I die like Jesus Christ to inspire generations of the weak and the defenceless people."
He also labelled fellow students "brats" and "snobs".

From this short paragraph, we can already see how hurt and broken the killer was. Instead of blaming and be grieving so much over what has happened, maybe the thing that everyone can do would be to find out why did he did all these.

It was mentioned in the article that Cho faced psychological problems, and experienced an ongoing history of rejection. Maybe it was just because of his classmates and schoolmates' little inconsiderate comments of him that amounts to everything? Or maybe it was just because he was studying in a foreign school and thus was like the "odd-one-out" in the class. Whatever it is, it has all summed up to his final massacre.

Like other killers, Cho left behind rage-filled testaments. (via his video)

I believe it is not easy for one to be living and studying in a foreign environment. As quoted from the article, "Teasing, bullying or other kinds of rejection were common elements in school shootings,". Had the classmates and friends of the various killers been a little more considerate and thoughtful, the tragedies might have never happened at all.

Hence, in order to prevent such killings from happening again, I believe everyone should play a part and start putting ourselves in other peoples' shoes before doing anything so as not to hurt the rest of the people.

(:

Comments On "A Hanging".

1) Firstly, the author used the technique of irony. One who is about to be sent to the gallows to receive death ought to be anxoius and scared, but in this story the Hindu prisoner seemed to be unusually calm and unresisting. This gives the reader a feeling that the prisoners have absolutely no power or say against the jail authority and that any struggling or resisting would just be in vain. Hence, it indirectly leads to the readers siding with the 'innocent' prisoners and thus condemn capital punishment.

2) Some of the arguments for capital punishment would be that people who have committed serious crimes certainly have to be responsible for their own actions and capital punishment is their way of holding responsibility. It could also be seen as a better way than serving life sentence which might be an even more painful punishment for the prisoners in the long run.

Some of the arguments against capital punishment would be that no matter how serious a crime one commits, others still do not have the right to take away their lives just like that. As mentioned in the story, "When i saw the prisoner step aside to avoid the puddle, I saw the mystery, the unspeakable wrongness, of cutting a life short when it is in full tide." This further shows the cruelty of the punishment and leads people to doubt whether it is even ethical in the first place.

3) I feel that capital punishment, though cruel, is necessary to deter others from repeating and committing such serious crimes. Without capital punishment, i believe people would start to not be afraid of the jail, and continue committing crimes since the punishment after the crimes are not even severe enough for them to be scared of. The world would then be in great chaos and crimes rate will remain as high, or even go up higher.

I think that the death penalty can be justified in cases where one ends another's life deliberately. (like murder)

BLOGGING FOR GP.

*pauses for a very long moment.


I am Tan Si Jing Rachel, now in AJC class 22/07.
I used to be in class 23/07.
I think I am short (WILL GROW TALLER SOON), 'spectacle-less' and tends to be a little crazy when i feel really sleepy.

GOODBYE. (: