Not sure if anyone caught this report on Tuesday, but I’m sad to say that reading it warmed the very cockles of my heart. Which is a bad thing because it just goes to show how desensitized I am to human death, even if they were criminals in the first place.
If you aren’t going to bother clicking on the link and reading the story, here’s a brief rundown on what happened: Following a tipoff, police foiled a major cash-in-transit robbery in Pretoria, killing 11 of the would-be, heavily armed robbers without any loss on the side of police or the cash guards.
These now very dead robbers looked set on setting the cash van alight, more than likely killing the hapless guards trapped inside as has become the norm nowadays in cash-in-transit heists. Thankfully this tragedy was averted by our hard-working men in blue, and as an extra bonus, these scumbags have now efficiently been removed from society.
Perhaps I’m being harsh, but criminals (particularly violent ones) need to be sent a message that there are serious consequences to their misdeeds. They are not always going to get away with a comfy bed and three meals a day in prison – sometimes there is a slightly more permanent punishment awaiting them.
Which could also be just why I’d happily accept any new president who brings back the death penalty – an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth as they say? It’s not a good way of thinking and I’m not proud of it, but then again mankind is not naturally predisposed to upholding moral codes now is it?
Otherwise we wouldn’t be in the lawless mess we now find ourselves in.
Related link: http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2237110,00.html