Allow us to Redeem

People are worth more than their worst action. Life imprisonment and the death sentence do no justice to the power of redemption. The purpose of incarceration should go beyond the efforts to put away the bad guys and free our roads of danger. There is a bigger picture. Importance should be placed on the betterment of the society within the four walls of the prison itself.

Our prisons are filled with people who were born, or grew up under unfortunate circumstances. People who come from low economic backgrounds, minimal education, abusive past and many other dark holes that you and I could never imagine coming out clean from. It’s a vicious cycle; it has always been a vicious cycle. People who are abused as children grow up to be abusive parents, people who are lonely visit prostitutes, people who have no money steal, people who are going through a rough patch in life turn to drugs, children of drug dealers grow up to become drug addicts, drug addicts in return murder or rape under the influence of the substance, people hit and run out of fear, mothers kill their babies out of insanity, husbands murder their wives out of jealousy. Its hard to justify any crime, more so if the criminal is a stranger to us. Mistakes that we make is what makes us more human. Its the actions that are evil, not the person itself.

In our prisons, people are denied of their basic human rights even though incarceration alone is their only punishment. Avenue for reform is looked upon as an ideal luxury. They suffer in silence, because there is no concern for them who we call our “sampah masyarakat”. The death sentence and life imprisonment with no parole awaits some who hit ultimate rock bottom. Shouldn’t they be given a chance to prove to society that there is hope for redemption even for the worst wrong? We are a forgiving society, at least that is what we were thought to believe. As we choose who we want to forgive, we choose to give up this power that humans are gracefully gifted with, the power to feel guilt and remorse, the power to be human.

The parole system is being implemented for the first time in our country. Currently in the stage of trial, soon to be part of our lives. It is a lamp to our feet, it brings a glimmer of hope. If corruption does not bleed its way into the system, there is a way for us to ease the common social concern and fears that come along with the implementation of the parole system. We all make mistakes, some just bigger than the others. There should always be a chance for us to say sorry.

I am a good person. We are all good people, that’s just the way it is. But sometimes we act less human because along the line, we got a little unlucky. No human’s life is more precious than the other. If my father sold drugs, I would be a drug addict too. If my mother hit me, I would hit my children too. If I lost my soul mate, I would resort to drugs too. If I was a drug addict, I would kill under the influence of the substance too.

I would hope, that after my years of punishment, someone would show me the right way. I would hope that someone would teach me how to love again. I would hope to be able to live again, doing the things that I was never thought as a child, and living out my life of redemption. I would never want to be hung, to die before I could realize that what I did was wrong. I wouldn’t want to die without saying sorry to the ones I hurt.

“Old pirates, yes, they rob i;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took i
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the and of the almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.
Wont you help to sing
These songs of freedom? -
cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs” (Bob)