Saturday, February 21, 2009

Eye for an Eye?



Ameneh Bahrami, an Iranian woman who was douced with acid in 2004, demanded that her attacker, a former classmate, be blinded in a similar fashion. The Iranian courts have agreed with her request, and Majid Movahedi is scheduled to have five drops of sulfuric acid placed into each eye within the next three weeks. Many human rights groups have denounced Bahrami's call for retribution, calling the practice barbaric and inhumane.

Ghandi is famously quoted as saying "An eye for an eye leaves the world blind." Ameneh Bahrami hopes the sentence will deter other men from behaving similarly. Would you be willing to turn the other cheek? Did the Iranian court make the right decision? Would crimes worldwide decline if other countries implemented similar laws? Find out more infomation about this case here and here.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

What happened to this woman is horrible, and I understand her anger and pain. I would be angry too, knowing that someone has destroyed me for life, while they are walking around enjoying life. But, I don't know. An eye for an eye?

I don't know if I can be able to watch another human being (even if it's my attacker), go through what they will be doing. I don't think I can.

I would say no to what the courts have agreed to do. But you know, I don't know what's it's like being her.

John the Scribe said...

The only thing I would want is a guarantee that he would be imprisoned indefinitely. I would still want him to be treated humanely. Ok, maybe I'd also want to strike him until my arms fatigued. Yeah, I think that would work.

Anonymous said...

Iranian women go through SO MUCH at the hands of their gender-biased culture. Rape, honor killings, unfair treatment by the officials that should be protecting them with the law, socially acceptable suffering at the hands of their husbands, etc. He needs to be punished for what he did to her, and I am so happy that the Iranian courts did not look at her as just a woman, but as an individual that deserved an equal call for retribution . Usually they would side with the male.

How could he just douse her head with a bucket of acid? Had he no regard for human life? He deserves what is coming to him. This will serve as a message to those chauvinist Iranian pigs who think it is okay to violate a female in this manner. I applaud the Iranian judicial system for FINALLY standing up for their women.

John the Scribe said...

Wow Chaz! You're very informed on this topic. One of the things I've learned is that harsh punishment does not necessarily lead to declines in violent crimes. In our own country, people continue to commit violent acts despite being aware of the possibility of being put to death. As I do not support the death penalty, I believe certain individuals, such as the man who disfigured Ameneh, should be permanently separated from society.

Anonymous said...

OK, Harsh punishment doesn't necessarily lead to a decline in violent crime, AGREED, but I doubt that this is what Ameneh is concerned about right now.

She wants justice FOR HER, and that's that. She wants her attacker to feel what she had to go through, the pain of being doused with acid. The pain of having to walk around with a face like that. The pain of being humiliated and having people talk about her. The pain of having being transformed from a beautiful woman into something else.

I think she has not been able to let go of the anger. It is anger that's pushing her to seek retribution. But as to whether she'll be at peace once she has been granted her wish, is something else. She might, but then again, she might not, depending on her conscience.

John the Scribe said...

I agree that she's still haunted by the tragic event, even though it occured almost five years ago. I understand her anger and motivation. For her, this might be the only way she will ever achieve absolute peace. Personally, it's not a choice I would make.

That Dude Right There said...

Hell yeah I agree with the court's ruling. 5 drops???? Why don't they dump a few gallons of H2SO4 on his face and genitals!!

John the Scribe said...

No you did not use the chemical structure. I love it! I wouldn't necessarily bathe him in the acid. I'll keep y'all posted on the case.