I've refrained from commenting in this thread because I'm so angry that some of these fires appear to have been deliberately lit, and I didn't want to offend anyone or get barred for the language I would have used while in a state of depression and suffering anxiety issues.... constant and unrelenting pain has a nasty habit of having me spew forth words that would not be acceptable or appreciated in a public forum, hence my absence here thus far.
However, I do feel the need to comment on the sad loss of life and property, and my heart goes out to all those affected by this enormous tragedy. While the material things can be replaced/rebuilt in time, it's the horrendous loss of life and personal injuries that has affected me most, and my thoughts are with all those who have lost family and friends to this tragic event.
Furthermore, it seems, some are learning no lessons from the tragedy of the Victorian bushfires. Shaunna tells me that two fires in the Launceston suburbs of Waverley and Mayfield were deliberately lit down in Tasmania. How sad it is that some individuals have a such complete disregard for life, limb and property. Now I'm not normally an advocate of the death penalty, but I believe some serious rethinking is required with regards to crimes of such magnitude, where a deliberate act of arson results in the loss of life, particularly on the scale as seen in Victoria.
Sadly, in our bid to become 'more civilised', we in the Western World have become too soft on crime and victims are not seeing justice for all their heartaches and suffering, so yes, in extreme case, maybe capital punishment is a better solution/deterrent than imprisonment. I know some here are opposed to the death penalty because it is taking life and barbaric, but seriously, how is it any less barbaric than sending somebody to prison to be brutalised, sodomised and murdered by other inmates and guards... YES, guards.
I know of some-one who was anally raped by guards at the Wacol prison here in Queensland. Now he has some serious health and mental issues, so is far from being rehabilitated, but was still released back into the community to re-offend, perpetrate horrendous crimes against children. So yes, we as a society really need to think where we're heading with our thoughts on crime and punishment... not to mention the enormous costs involved to keep those who can not/will not be rehabilitated in prison. We all pay... for a system that can be far more brutal on serious offenders than an orderly, quick and humane execution.
