Ethical Issues in Cultural Practices

QUESTION

Research a cultural practice on-line (preferably using dot.edu or reputable news sites like https://www.nytimes.com. Dot.com sources (other than https://www.nytimes.com)or Wikipedia are not acceptable sources). The cultural practice may be from our own culture or another culture. Select a practice that has an ethical component. Sample topics include: prohibited foods, prohibited fashion, circumcision (male or female), acceptable/non-acceptable forms of nudity, acceptable activities in  the content of movies, acceptable punishments in the criminal justice system, etc. Be sure to give credit to your sources anywhere in your post where you quote from or paraphrase from them. (Example: As Smith said, “Circumcision is genital murder” (https://www.nytimes.com/smith/circumcision).  Failure to give credit to your sources is plagiarism and will result in a zero grade for this assignment. Be sure to use a minimum of two sources.

In the first paragraph of  your double-spaced post, you should note the cultural practice and note if you regard the cultural practice as moral/immoral and (briefly) why. Note that your thesis or position on the cultural practice should be made clear in this first paragraph. Provide the complete web addresses of your sources in this first paragraph. (Example: I consulted the following websites: https://www.standford.edu and https://www.nytimes.com). If you used non-web sources, provide the full name of the text used, as well as its author, publisher and page numbers of pages you consulted.

In the second paragraph of your post, provide relevant details on the cultural practice. Note why the majority support this cultural practice.Particularly include any ethical arguments they bring to bear on why this cultural practice should be continued.

In the third paragraph of your post, note why critics oppose the cultural practice. Particularly include any ethical arguments they bring to bear on why this practice should be abandoned.

In your fourth and final paragraph, provide details on why you support or do not support the cultural practice you selected. Be sure to use course material to justify your position. This is your opportunity to demonstrate that you understand culttural ethical relativism (CER), absolutism, etc.

Important Note on Your Contributions: Be sure to exclude your beliefs, personal or family anecdotes and write your post in a reasoned, professional tone.

ANSWER

Ethical Issues in Cultural Practices

In the United States, and other several nations, the judicial system includes capital punishment in its penalties for crimes such as murder. Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the practice where a person found guilty by the judicial system of a country is put to death by state regulations as a form of punishment for his crime. Any criminal act penalized by execution is referred to as a capital crime or capital offense. These crimes include treason, murder, war crimes, and espionage. In some countries, the list of capital offenses is longer, including crimes such as robbery with violence. Capital punishment poses ethical issues in many societies all over the world. I believe that punishment, even though necessary, should not be cruel as to involve the taking of an individual’s life. In this study, I consulted the following websites: www.academia.edu, https://www.ncjrs.gov/app/publications/abstract.aspx?id=153848, and http://www.nytimes.com.

Many society members approve the practice on the basis of the moral obligation to protect every citizen’s safety and welfare. Capital offense offenders threaten the safety and welfare of community members. Therefore, this group of members of society views capital punishment as a measure to ensure that the offenders do not kill people again, in the society. About 60% of the total world’s population lives in nations that support capital punishment. Many people believe that punishment should portray vengeance and that all offenders should be punished for their crimes. The law is regarded as the caretaker of the people’s guard against offenders, and as such, should be ruthless to people who do not respect the freedom of citizens to go about their daily business in peace. Many of us have, from our early childhood, been taught that consequences exist for lawbreakers and that all regulations are put in place to be adhered to and maintain peace in the society. As such, many people tend to base everything on these instilled teachings that we know, from our teachings at school and homes. Capital punishment is set up on the basis that an individual’s willful actions in a crime are wrong, and that consequences have to be faced to determine the fate of the offenders so as to warn others not to commit the same crime. Lawmakers argue that offenders deserve no mercy: If they committed murder, they should also be put to death.

Even with the above-discussed arguments, some members of society see capital punishment as a practice that is immoral and violates the constitutional ban on extremely cruel punishment, claiming that it does very little to prevent or minimize crimes and violence. This group looks at issues with morals and virtuous eye, believing that the best method to establish a society is by helping individuals become good people instead of using harsh punishments or threatening people with execution to prevent them from committing crimes and evils. Most cultures and Christian values view execution as harsh and unjustified. Christianity stipulates that no individual deserves to die at the hands of another. It also forbids anyone from determining the consequences of a criminal, stating that only the supernatural powers (God) has the right to judge people’s wrongs. Other society groups argue that Capital punishment takes the lives of people for ‘undesirable morals and ethics’ in the society. People are killed for crimes that they have done, with disregard to the reasons behind their actions.

As stated earlier, I believe that punishment, even though necessary, should not be cruel as to involve the taking of an individual’s life. I do not agree with the majority that views execution as justified to be a warning to potential offenders. Execution is harmful to any society, as it disregards the value of life. Allowing any law to give the power to take an individual’s life, even if for his wrongdoing, tolerates the taking of life. The killing of any individual in the society, even convicted killers diminishes us all. In our homes, religious places, and schools, we are taught to abide by society laws and regulations, rules such as “thou shall not kill” from the Christian bible. These laws are dictated to us through morals within our communities. Moreover, capital punishment has been proven not to really minimize crimes or violence in the society. In January 1995, an opinion poll on the police service in the USA was undertaken. Police commanders were allowed to express what each of them believed really works in the fighting of crime. The interviewed Police officers ranked capital punishment last, as a method of preventing and reducing crimes and violence. They ranked execution behind measures such as placing more security officers on streets and administering longer sentences (Dieter, 1995). I believe that we, as the society, should try to determine and fix the reasons behind criminal acts and not just punish people for the outcome of their actions.

References

https://www.academia.edu/people/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=capital+punishment

http://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/07/opinion/possible-guilt-certain-death.html

Dieter, R C, (1995), On the front line: law enforcement views on the death penalty https://www.ncjrs.gov/app/publications/abstract.aspx?id=153848.