Thursday, May 7, 2009

What was that about Cultural Relativism again?

by Sarah Richardson


I was reminded of our discussions concerning democracy being the best form of government and how to convince the rest of the world to follow along when I came across this story.

A 20 year old British woman was arrested in Loas for drug trafficking in August. She was allegedly caught with about a pound of heroine on her in the airport there after traveling, on vacation, to other parts of Asia. She has been held there ever since and has subsequentley been unable to speak with her family or a lawyer. Laos is under a communist regime at the moment and therefore have very little concern about her "inalienable rights" as her charges are
punishable by death
by firing squad.

Her case has resurfaced in the media because it has been discovered that she is now 5 months pregnant, which suggests that she was impregnanated while in prison. Laos officials say they will not execute a pregnant woman, but what is to say of her after the baby is born. Kay Danes, ex prisoner in Laos says that it is very important that the media stay involved or she may be executed after all.

So with that being said, what can be done? This is a sovereign government and she broke the law, and this is their form of punishment. Who is to say that they cannot do it?

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