How do you punish someone who wants to be dead? A man in California apparently decided to commit suicide by parking his SUV on the train tracks. He changed his mind at the last minute and got out, but his car was still there when the train arrived, and the derailment killed at least 10 people. The news stories report he will be charged with homicide.
I don't doubt it was a horrible, and, as suicide so often is, a terribly selfish act. After he is convicted, as seems inevitable, I wonder: what will his punishment be? Many people would probably say he should get the "worst" possible punishment there is -- the death penalty. But in his case, it seems like that would mean the state would be giving him exactly what he wanted. Not really much of a punishment, is it?
At the risk of biting off more than I can chew in a mere blog entry, I'll venture to add that this situation highlights one of the reasons I have difficulty with the concept of the death penalty. Frankly, I think death isn't much of a punishment for the most heinous criminals. It's more of a punishment for their families then it is for them. Afterall, they'll be dead, so they won't be suffering. That is, if punishment is one of the goals of the criminal justice system. In many cases, I think hard core restitution is a much worse punishment. I honestly think that so-called "cruel and unusual punishment" is underrated. We need to get much more creative than prison or capital punishment.
I thought it was interesting (and ironic) that in his MLK Day speech yesterday, President Bush chose to quote Dr. King's statement, "There can be no great disappointment where there is no great love." I wish Bush's ultra-conservative cronies would take that to heart before they condemn those who oppose the war in Iraq (or the outcome of the recent election) as unpatriotic.
Growing up, my father tried many times to interest me in learning computer programming. I've always been an enthusiastic user of computers, and I was -- and still am -- very interested in foreign languages. My dad tried hard to convince me that I would enjoy programming, since in his view it was just another language. I couldn't imagine anything I'd be less interested in. I mean, gag me with a spoon, Dad!
Then I started dating (and eventually married) a computer programmer. In graduate school, I taught myself HTML and found myself gravitating towards the courses that focused on information technology. Then I found myself learning XSLT, which is awfully close to programming. To my surprise, I discovered I really liked it. It makes me feel powerful and sort of sneaky.
Beginning next week, I will taking a class here at the university. The appeal of the the free tuition benefit for university staff members was one factor in my decision to take this job just over two years ago, but until now, I've never actually taken advantage of it. The reality of the time commitment kind of hit home once I started looking into it. I'd have to make up missed work hours, do the homework, and pass up opportunities to travel. Nevertheless, this semester I am taking the plunge, and so next Wednesday I will be a university student again for the first time in 10 years when I show up for my first class in (drumroll, please!) -- computer programming. I guess Father knew best, after all.