Policymakers abroad: on Crime


Old Testament: OpEd: "An eye for an eye" LIMITS punishment, not ALLOWS it

Some devout Christians are among the most fervent advocates of the death penalty, contradicting Jesus Christ and justifying their belief on an erroneous interpretation of Hebrew Scriptures. "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," their most likely response, overlooks the fact that this was promulgated by Moses as a limitation--a prohibition against taking both eyes or all of an offender's teeth in retribution. Also, we might remember Jesus' explanation that Moses gave these and some other aspects of the Torah to accommodate "the hardness of heart" of his listeners.

The Bible has numerous examples of mercy as an alternative to the prescribed death sentence, as when God permitted the first known murderer, Cain, to live. In another dramatic instance, Jesus forgave a women sentenced to be stoned to death for adultery.

It seems logical that all Christians would follow the example of Jesus Christ. In 1999 in St. Louis, the pope described capital punishment as "cruel and unnecessary."

Source: Our Endangered Values (Carter on Foreign Influence) p. 82-83 Sep 26, 2006

Vladimir Putin: Softens punishment for first-time offenders for hate crimes

Putin has signed a law that will soften the punishment for some hate crimes amid concerns over prison terms handed down to people for "liking" or reposting memes on the Internet. The legislation, signed by Putin, will remove the possibility of a prison sentence for first-time offenders found to have incited ethnic, religious, and other forms of hatred and discord in public, including in the media or on the Internet.
Source: Radio Free Europe on Foreign Influencers Dec 28, 2018

Vladimir Putin: Opposition leader sentenced to notorious penal camp

Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has begun serving his two-and-a-half-year sentence at a notorious penal camp. Konstantin Kotov, an opposition activist who was freed 1« years at the same prison, said he was subjected to constant intimidation. This included repeated punishment for not saluting a prison guard or borrowing someone's gloves -- with those that his relatives sent him not being delivered -- as well as isolating him from other inmates.
Source: Bloomberg News on Foreign Influencers Feb 28, 2021

Xi Jinping: Use an iron fist against Uighurs, claiming Islamic terrorism

After a visit to Xinjiang in April 2014, Xi argued that Islamic extremism had infected a large swathe of Uighur society and called on party officials to chase 'violent terrorists' like rats: 'strike early, strike small, strike fast and use an iron fist to destroy [them]'.

The following month, the Xinjiang Party Committee launched a ..year-long Counterterrorism Strike Hard Campaign that has been subsequently extended. Officials seen adopting a "soft" approach in governance were promptly replaced.

Nearly a million Uighurs and other indigenous people in Xinjiang have been rounded up and interned in what Chinese authorities call "vocational education and training centres" since the spring of 2017, as part of the Re-education campaign.

"Teach like a school, manage like the military, and defend like a prison"--this has been the approach in running these centres. Detainees are held without legal recourse

Source: Times of India on Foreign Influences: "Uighur births" Oct 25, 2021

Liz Truss: Expects 20% decrease in violent crimes by end of Parliament

POLICY: Demand police cut key crimes by 20 percent by the end of this parliament

DATE & PLATFORM: July 26, press release

SHE SAID WHAT? Liz Truss has today announced she will expect the police to cut homicide, serious violence and neighbourhood crime by 20 percent by the end of the Parliament.

Source: Politico blog "Truss manifesto" on Foreign Influences Sep 1, 2022

Rishi Sunak: 20,000 more police on the street, more people jailed

Rishi Sunak has said he wants to see more people jailed as part of a crackdown on crime, after he opened up about fearing for his children's safety. The Prime Minister told reporters: "We should charge more people and reduce crime and have them in jail." He said he remained "committed" to the Tory manifesto promise to put 20,000 more police officers on the street, and that doing so to reduce neighbourhood crime "is incredibly important to me".
Source: The Evening Standard on Foreign Influences Nov 19, 2022

  • The above quotations are from Foreign Influences on United States Policy.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Crime.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Pope Francis on Crime.
  • Click here for more quotes by Vladimir Putin on Crime.
2024 Presidential contenders on Crime:
  Candidates for President & Vice-President:
V.P.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.(I-CA)
Chase Oliver(L-GA)
Dr.Jill Stein(D-MA)
Former Pres.Donald Trump(R-FL)
Sen.J.D.Vance(R-OH)
Gov.Tim Walz(D-MN)
Dr.Cornel West(I-NJ)

2024 presidential primary contenders:
Pres.Joe_Biden(D-DE)
N.D.Gov.Doug Burgum(R)
N.J.Gov.Chris_Christie(R)
Fla.Gov.Ron_DeSantis(R)
S.C.Gov.Nikki_Haley(R)
Ark.Gov.Asa_Hutchinson(R)
Former V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
U.S.Rep.Dean_Phillips(D-MN)
Vivek_Ramaswamy(R-OH)
S.C.Sen.Tim_Scott(R)
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Page last updated: Sep 29, 2024