Heated debate

Phirate has removed his link to me, as he found a comment I made “so chilling” he never wants to hear from me again.

Absolutely his decision (which I respect) as to whom to link to, but I do have to say I find it a bit of an over reaction to what to me appeared to be merely a difference of views. Personally I’d never get upset and “banish” someone for merely stating something I strongly disagree with. It is only when people personally attack me, that I consider it. I find Keith Locke’s views on just about everything reprehensible, but I still enjoy chatting to him (esp on the one area we do agree on – keeping the Internet free of Govt control)

The disagreement was on my post regarding Robin Pitney who as a 15 year old, stabbed an 11 year old to death. Phirate thought that being just 15 at the time was a mitigating factor for early parole, while I disagreed saying “I think I regard a 15 year old who is capable of doing that as more evil than a 25 year old who does. ”

Obviously an issue some people will disaagree with me on, and to a degree it is a bit silly trying to debate degrees of evilness. Anyone who stabs to death an 11 year old is evil. However to justify my view, my thinking is that a 25 year old who kills an 11 year old has probably been in gangs etc and a life of crime for 5 – 10 years and this may be the final depth he plunges to. However to be capable at just age 15 of killing, indicates a missing morality that is scary. 15 year olds should be studying for exams, not killing children.