Britain pardons soldiers executed in World War 1
“The executed soldiers deserve better treatment than to be remembered
as cowards; instead, they should be remembered as brave men who were
willing to fight for their country in difficult conditions,” Dubs said.
British lawmakers on tuesday granted posthumous pardons for soldiers
executed during World War I, ending years of campaigning by the
families of men condemned to death for cowardice. About
300 soldiers that were executed during the 1914-1918 conflict for
failing to return to the front lines, were included in the pardon. The
government has said it is continuing research to identify other
soldiers who were brought before firing squads after only summary
trials. The decision to pardon the men was made as part of the Armed Forces
Act 2006, which only awaits the guaranteed assent of the queen to
become law.
I like the quote above and I believe it brings up a good point about the remembrance of people who died not in war, but in revenge. The nation unleashed the death penalty on these people because they refused to return to the front lines. If that is not revenge, I don’t know what is. I think Great Britain is doing a great thing. With changing times comes changing culture. What was once a horrible atrocity is no longer such. In the past during war time, it was thought that everyone should go out and serve their country. As more wars continued, people have rethought this and have come to see war as a bad thing. I myself never have supported a war, I don’t believe in killing life. (This excludes stem cells.) The families of the soldiers who were executed must have felt anger and betrayal from their country. I think any nation that kills a living breathing person for not wanting to kill should be punished. Cowardice may play a part in it, but fear is something human and we all have it. At the time of WWI, men were suppose to be these fearless, work horses who abandoned families, friends and work to fight a war for their nation. The decisions made by a man in political power helped caused others to die. I don’t like how government can control people and I do not support it. Governments should be working to provide peace, prosperity and happiness to the people living within it’s borders. Why would a nation waste time and resources to kill citizens? I will never understand some of the things that occur in this world. I grew up with a sunny perspective of the world around me. I always thought the world was a good place and everyone was good. As I got older, I found that was not the case. I will try to work towards bettering the world and the people who live in it.
kirsten03226 said,
November 9, 2006 at 12:36 am
I agree with alot of the views and opinions you had about the quote. It is crazy that a government could and would kill a person for not want to kill for that government. It is nice that you are going to try to “better the world,” I wish I believed entirely that- that is a battle that can be won. I like what you wrote about what a government should be working to provide, like they saying goes, “thepeopl shouldn’t be scared of their government, the government should be scared of the people.”