Progress in the Justice System?

I was looking over CNN.com and came across a somewhat disturbing story. Ameneh Bahrami, an Iranian woman, was blinded by a young man named Majid in 2004. He admitted to attacking her with acid, but says that they are in love and he wishes to marry her. Ameneh said that this was not the case, and if he were to be let off, he would surely kill her. Also, Majid's mother tried to form an arranged marriage between the two, and when she said no, the problems began. The most interesting part of this case is Ameneh's want for justice. She said that, "I am not willing to get blood money from the defendant, who is still thinking about destroying me and wants to take my eyes out". Rather than receiving financial compensation for her suffering, she wants a more sinister brand of justice. She urged to the courts of Tehran that her attacker should be blinded with acid as well. She based this off Islamic law; an eye for an eye. Shockingly enough, the panel voted unanimously for the sentence. He is to be blinded by acid, but not to have his face deformed as she did. When asked about her reasoning for not demanding Majid's face to be mutilated, she stated that, "Of course, only blind him and take his eyes, because I cannot behave the way he did and ask for acid to be thrown in his face".

This whole situation concerns me. Perhaps a more appropriate quote for this situation ought to be that, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind". I cannot believe that the courts actually voted in such a way. Even more appalling is that Ameneh claims that she is not behaving as Majid did, but she demanded that his eyes be destroyed by acid. Either the judicial system in Iran is insanely corrupted, or personal ethics has gone astray. Progress does not simply apply to the individual nation, but the human race as a whole. I guess this "opens our eyes" a little bit. Many think that the justice systems have, internationally, improved. I thought so until I saw this headline. I believe, now, that progress hasn't been truly made throughout the world.

Taxpayers Finally Catching A Break

Gas prices have officially dropped to an average of $1.75 a gallon. This is a record low since March of 2004. The decreased demand for gasoline has caused the prices to go down significantly. It seems that the hard working taxpayers are catching a bit of a break. People have been making the effort to cut costs on certain luxuries in order to secure the necessities. Based on the current price of gasoline, I would say that many people are doing their part.

Both R.W Emerson and H.D Thoreau detailed the concepts of materialism, and how the stuff you own can own you. They thought that life is not about who has the fanciest car, house, etc. I feel that many people are starting to pick up these ideas because of the current economic situation. Driving as a means of transportation to work, the grocery store, and other activities is a necessity, but a lot of it is rather pointless. I have witnessed this first hand. I cannot tell you how many times my friends and I have spent great amounts of time just driving around, listening to music, in our gas guzzling suv's. Even though we live in a very prosperous area, this trend has changed, and as a direct effect of the economic situation. Parents are no longer paying for their children to drive their cars any longer. Because of this, teenagers are simply not driving as much. From the lower ends of society, all the way up to the higher, people are making changes to compensate for our delicate economy. As a direct effect of the taxpayers efforts, gasoline is now more affordable than in the last 5 years. Emerson and Thoreau would be proud of this change, and perhaps amazed in the national effort to make the change.