My question has merit in this debate. The man may have a developmental disability that eliminates the possibility of mens rea. Would you still consider it fair to give him a severe caning? Or should he treated like a child due to his disability?
Also canings are in addition to prison time in the countries that allow them. So add medical bills plus the cost of incarceration as well as the legal fees that would occur from appeals and lawsuits. Speaking of lawsuits, he would most likely win a sizeable sum given the excessive nature of the punishment. If the government is going to steal my hard earned money then I'd rather he just sit in jail and not be caned as well.
Finally in response to your edit, I partake in those services in absence of better alternatives. If a private company were to offer paved roads at reasonable usage rate, then I would consider using their roads.
I said nothing about prison after punishment. Don't assume things. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I think he needs an adult keeper. If he is disabled to that extent, he should be in permanent custodial care.
You're so full of beans. Why don't you move to an area that requires you to pay for the fire services? Are you also intending to refuse police assistance if your home is robbed or you're assaulted? How about water and sewage? Unless you're living on a farm with a well a septic tank, your taxes are pay for the maintenance of that infrastructure.What about municipal EMT services? Not all localities have private EMT services or EMT services associated with a hospital.
Let's not forget about areas subject to widlfires/forest fires. Should everyone stand outside with a garden hose and pray? How do you think that airborne fire suppression aircraft are funded?
If/when you have children, are you planning to homeschool them?
You should sit down ad re-evaluate what those tax dollars are paying for.
I live in a county that doesn't have a good reputation for it's police, and have had a detective (from the county seat police department) threaten my wife with bullshit charges over something that shouldn't have even involved police. So would I call the police? Honestly probably not.
I live in an unincorporated part of our county so we don't have water and sewer services.
Our EMS is contracted to a private company.
If we could afford to send our kids to a private school we would. Home school isn't something either of us want to do because it would cut our income. That was covered in my statement about a lack of better alternatives.
Now for the wildfires question. I live in one of the top timber producing states in the US, and we rarely have huge wildfires like happens in California. Do you know why? Because the landowners maintain their forests with controlled burns every few years. The Southeastern US learned from the Native American tribes about forest management. Too bad the idiots in California won't listen to sound research.
Edit added this line: But that doesn't stop you from partaking int he services those tax dollars pay for, now does it?
Why, the government that imposed the punishment, of course. Punishment given, slate clean, move on with life having a clearer understanding of what happens when you break the law. It's faster and cheaper than a prison sentence for everyone involved.
No, why would I do that for an accident? However, willful disobedience is another matter. If the standard talking to, loss of privileges, or standing in the corner doesn't work, that's another matter.
The person's in question are clearly different as are the offenses. Attempting to compare the punishments given to a child who is still learning to behave correctly and is most certainly non menus rea, with those of the idiot with the laser pointer are quite different.
You won't win any debates comparing apples and oranges.