New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark today said she did not support the executions, despite the "heinous crimes" of the three.
That's what it looks like, Kevin.
Handy tip for those playing at home: opposing the death penalty because it is a fundamentally flawed punishment that has no place in the modern world does not in any way mean you like the people who it is proposed be executed, or want to marry them or have their children.
This is the moronic "logic" of the mob - Killing worst thing! Bad person deserves worst thing! Must kill bad person! And - If you don't want to kill bad person, then you must love bad person! Which means you must be bad person!
None of this is about anything more than base, unthinking, childish revenge - it is not about deterring crime, or making the world safer, or protecting the innocent. (Because none of them are achieved by the death penalty, which is why Australia and most modern nations reject it.)
But the sentiment does sell newspapers. So - does our post-Howard leader have the courage to stand up for principle, or will he (as did his predecessor, as did he in opposition) bow to the grunting of what his pollsters may imagine the masses think they want instead?
Yeah, I know. Sigh.
