Quote Originally Posted by Bijo
-edit- Just read Adrian's post.
Possibly right, but what if with some kind of authoritarian approach we would change people's morals, and future generations would not be bothered with these issues of control, power, etc.? Man, I'm just thinking... if we can achieve something like that, truly good moralistic societies, then do you think our base human instincts would still come back?
Ah, my wish is far-fetched
Worse, I believe it is wrong. No offense, it is just that I am an old cynic with jaded tastes and I do not believe in silver bullets for human problems anymore.

In essence, my point is this: all forms of social control are vehicles for these same base human instincts. Therefore, no single institution should be too powerful. Institutions should hold each other in check and be accountable to public control.

You see, the moment you establish some sort of strict supervision of parents, it is the supervisors who will be abusing some of the kids instead of the parents or guardians. The same goes, mutatis mutandis, for all strict regimes. The present balance in Western society between parental responsibility, state regulation and social institutions (school, Church, neighbourhood), however tenuous, is your best bet when it comes to preventing abuse. And it is never foolproof.

I am against Church supervision. The Catholic Church does not have a good track record when it comes to protecting minors from sexual abuse, nor do some Protestant denominations. You don't want paedophile priests or rogue Televangelists looking after your kids. The state, too, has always failed as a guardian of children as well, be it in democratic, Soviet or religious garb.

As for all the calls for the death penalty and related punishments above, I have heard them all before. I loathe the illusion they feed on, i.e. the illusion that somehow evil can be fully eradicated from society. Such cures are always worse than the ailment.

I am also against the death penalty for a variety of reasons. Suffice it to say here that if most people are afraid of the death penalty, the perpetrators of such horrid acts as described in the title post are almost always beyond that. The Jeffrey Dahmers of this world are not afraid of the electric chair, if anything the knowledge of their eventual execution makes them more reckless and resolute. Death may reward peoples' wish for revenge, but it will never, ever solve the issue.