A Fierce Debate About Crime And Punishment By Mariano Reyes

Michael Fay was an 18 year old teenager living in Singapore, and was arrested in 1994 for multiple counts of vandalism. The Singaporean government in turn sentenced him to a series of canings, which sparked a controversy that lasts to this day; was his punishment right? In “Time to Assert American Values,” an article published in the New York Times, the writer emphasizes that Singapore’s caning punishment is very controversial in the sense that many believe that it is wrong, and many consider it torture. In contrast, “Rough Justice: A Caning in Singapore Stirs up a Fierce Debate about Crime and Punishment,” an article by Alejandro Reyes, discusses not only the harshness of Singapore’s punishments, but also the fact that caning is their own

This particular article uses ethical and logical appeals, and used in this context, these strongly support the argument. One strength of the article’s argument is the ethical appeal it contains regarding the evidence. In “Rough Justice,” Reyes explains, “Responding to the reporters’ questions, U.S. charge d’affaires Ralph Boyce said: “We see a large discrepancy between the offense and the punishment. The cars were not permanently damaged; the paint was removed with thinner. Caning leaves permanent scars. In addition, the accused is a teenager and this is his first offense.”” (Reyes 181). Throughout this quote, it is made very clear that the American government was outraged by this, being that not only was Michael Fay 18 years old, the damage he has done was minute, however Fay was left with permanent scars from his punishment. This is an example of a strong ethical appeal because Fay’s experience, though he committed a crime, was completely against our own beliefs and standards, which in turn increases the strength and effectiveness of the impact the evidence in this particular article possesses. Though Michael Fay’s punishment was extremely unwarranted and inhumane in the eyes of many, the Singaporean government has its own rules and standards as well as us. Though they may be different, anyone residing within Singapore is subject to their own

Firstly, in the following citation, the article uses empirical evidence, telling a short story of what Michael Fay’s experience was like and how he felt in the moments leading up to his caning sentence. According to the article, “ONLY MICHAEL FAY CAN tell us what it really felt like. First, the weeks of tedium and terror while waiting to hear if the Singapore government would actually carry out the flogging to punish his spray-painting spree. Then the relief at learning his sentence had been reduced to four lashes of the rod from six. And finally, the sudden rush of fear when the jailer came for him only hours later. Only he can describe the heart-galloping expectation of the rattan cane-four feet long and a half-inch thick-brought down full force on his bare buttocks.” (Singapore: After The Caning 41). This piece from the article shows the experience of the excruciating anticipation of what will come next, and vividly describes what the anticipation of the pain that he will experience, as the reader can imagine the cane being “brought down full force on his bare buttocks,” which creates a very strong and appealing argument. As you will see, the article uses an emotional and empirical appeal, as the description of Michael Fay’s distraught mother’s reaction to his experience impacts the reader in