Theme: Punishments are indispensable in life. Know this:
(1). Many hardened criminals of today were petty thieves some day who did not receive punishment in time.
(2). Punishments are coarse correction mechanisms, which set the people acting in acceptable ways in the society.
(3). Punishments should be corrective deterrent for both the individuals and the society, as a whole.
(4) Our society’s rich have no time for their children to bringthem up as good citizens. You see them involved in drunken driving, drug abuse, white collar crimes, shoot-outs in public places - a fewexamples.
(5) Poor in the society, especially from the socially backward, do not know what is good and bad so that they can educate their children.
(6) The middle class, in general, has the environment and knowledge for bringing up its children as good citizens.
They achieve this through a combination of educating and punishing the children when they go astray.
Theme: Delayed Punishments are dangerous.
Short story 17
Bad father
Today is the judgment day of the month in the kingdom where Rasa lived. People await judgment the king’s court would hand down to Rasa.
Typically, every offender goes through the grilling and confrontation with proof and witnesses in the normal course. On the judgment day, the king, his ministers and nobles in the king’s court formally give a final hearing and accordingly the punishment is announced in the presence of general public.
So the palace will be surrounded by anxious public to hear the verdict.The parents and close relatives of the accused are allowed to remain in the king’s court, when the judgment is pronounced. Their views are also listened to.
Today, the public that gathered to hear the verdict was the largest in recent times. The people who were victims wanted to know what punishment Rasa had received.
Rasa, as people call him earned the name Rowdy Rasa in this area. In today’s society, there is a lot of demand for rowdies over whom police have no control. The politicians favor them. When they break the law, the law breaks easily because it’s basis is weak. The criminals hire lawyers to break laws to ensure their perpetual freedom.
Rasa began his career by stealing small things from fellow children. At that time, his name was “Thief Rasa”. His father was the Chief of security in the king’s court.
When his son was on the verge of getting caught, he used his influence among the authorities and saved him. As Rasa grew, so did his crimes too .
Now he was a fully grown criminal. He did not need his father’s help any more.He found ways of escape from the long arms of law. He committed more serious crimes and got away with it.
Finally, his crime records reached the king. People thought he would get a big punishment for all the crimes he had committed.
The court suddenly became very active. The ministers and officials arrived one by one and occupied their seats. The king followed.
The criminals were bound by chains and seated in a corner of the court. The names of the criminals were read out and also the crimes they had committed. They were sentenced accordingly.
It was Rasa’s term now. Rasa was brought to the middle of the king’s court. His crimes were listed and he was given the death sentence.
Rasa showed no emotions. In the coming days, he would be beheaded in front of the crowd in the large open area.
People will now never get frightened of Rasa. One last request of the convict in a death row was granted, if it was genuine. This is followed from ages till today.
The minister announced this to Rasa. Rasa wanted to talk to his father, which the minister readily obliged.With hands tied, Rasa was allowed to talk to his father. When his father came near him, Rasa bit his father’s ear and spat it out. Blood flowing from his face, his father was screaming in pain.
Those assembled were shocked and stunned at the act of Rasa.Rasa looked at the assembly and justified his action. “When I was young and committed crimes, my father did not punish me. Instead he protected me from being punished.
Then, I grew up to a thief and even committed murders without fear. Today, I am facing death sentence.
My father misused his official position, influence and contacts in a wrong way. He did not correct me at the right time.
This act of his has brought me to the present situation. He never taught me the right path.Therefore, my father is responsible for the crimes I had committed. But there is no provision in the law to punish him. Therefore, I have punished him.
In future, this should be a lesson and a warning for fathers like him,” spoke Rasa.