The caning case

Bravo Gary Gentry--at last someone gets closer to the crux of where the "punishment-fit-the-crime" debate should be focused.

It is a brave person indeed who from the relative comfort of Jakarta tries to step inside Michael Fay to determine whether he is a criminal, a victim or a naughty boy.

What we can say for certain is that rather than treasuring his liberty and the responsibility it demands he has abused it.

For the punishment to fit the crime, only deprivation of liberty and/or reparations for the damage relate directly to his actions.

The more fundamental challenge for us as a society is to assess what permanent damage has been done to Michael Fay, to his associates, his parents, to the person who administers such punishment and to us who sit back willing to pay someone else to do what we would not do ourselves.

Or would we?

To witness a good guillotining, hanging, stoning, whipping or crucifixion has historically been popular spectator sport.

So perhaps we could hear from readers who would like to be there or actually be holding the cane when the skin and blood start to fly.

GRAEME ST. JOHN

Jakarta