Public must accept drug penalties

Public must accept drug penalties: ambassador. :

"He says Australians must must learn to accept the legal ramifications of drug trafficking in Asia, particularly after the execution in Singapore of convicted drug smuggler Van Nguyen."

We do know the penalties which apply in other countries. Some of us just don't get it and young people, in particular, seem not to notice we have speeding laws, stealing laws, assault laws, home invasion...drug laws. We have people who write their own rules and think the legal rules do not apply to them. It's not all their fault. They are plugged in most of the time and totally incapable of listening for longer than a moment. Not sure where this is coming from. Stressed out parents who have been working long hours? It is not just us. The young people in many countries have been writing their own rule book to suit themselves and adults have not been able to get them to listen. We know the laws. As a nation we abolished the death penalty and there are some who are quite happy to see drug traffickers put to death. I wonder if they would think the same if we brought this law into Australia tomorrow? I personally think a young life needs a chance to be redeemed. If there is no redemption, then I think we need to think of other things and if there is a deliberate attempt to destroy the lives of others, then again, that is very grave and needs to be seriously considered. As a nation, though, we are quite clear. We are not in favour of the death penalty. We shall get emotional because we are a small nation and what affects one of us will affect all of us and we shall feel it. We certainly felt the sad loss of a life last Friday. We accept other countries have other laws, but some young people just do not get it. I wouldn't want to see them die because they are thick, stupid and deaf, but I do believe smuggling drugs and trafficking is a horrendous crime against other people. These young people are seduced by others and the thought of money. This is the world they have been brought up in and they have no been subjected to rigid discipline, were the generation where guns and violence was banned and have been run by technology. Unless we alter that notion...because drugs are in videos clips, TV series, films..in magazines...someone wrote an article somewhere about "heroine chic". How right they were. Young people think this is all cool. It's up to the leaders in the community to dispell this myth. I guess killing them might make it less desirable, but seriously, the drug trade and media need to take some responsibility for making it such an appealing alternative to a good education and a decent job.