The fate of Utilityman (Relevant I think, given all the male celebrities found guilty of historical sex offences)

By well-wisher

Mon, 02 Feb 2015
  • 2027 reads
11 comments
 

The superhero Utilityman is found guilty of historical sex offences against one woman and sentenced to be locked in a special re-enforced prison designed to resist any super powered efforts to escape.

The judge, in sentencing Utility man, says, “Let this ruling send out the message that no one is above the law, not even a superhero”.

And though the utilitarian argument occurs to everyone, “If he is locked away in prison, who will protect and save those that are beyond ordinary help?”, still it is the general opinion of most people, “No, that shouldn’t make a difference. He committed an atrocious crime and he must be made to pay for it”.

And that opinion still remains even after an Earthquake then kills hundreds of people who, if Utility man had been free would have been saved.

And the opinion still holds strong when terrorists unleash a deadly bacteria that kills a thousand people whose deaths Utility man could have prevented.

But the more deaths that occur the more members of the general public start to wonder, “Is keeping Utility man locked up in our interests?”.

And then another question also occurs to people,

“We believe that someone can pay off their debt to society. In saving the lives of countless people again and again wouldn’t utility man be doing this? Or perhaps it doesn’t count in his case because he would be doing, in saving lives, what he normally does also, no matter how many lives he saved, he could not take away the harm he has inflicted upon his one victim”.

But then an election year comes along and there are two presidential candidates, one who is strongly in favour of keeping Utilityman locked up,

“Utilityman should not be allowed to blackmail the people with his utility”, he says,  “I believe that everyone should be treated equally under the law; that there should be no exception however useful they may be to the common good and what if, having been released from Prison, Utilityman were to commit another similar crime against another person? ”.

And his opponent who is strongly in favour of granting a pardon to Utilityman;

“I feel that only the people", he says, "Democratically, have a right to decide what is in the interests of all and if they weigh up a crime committed against one person against saving the lives of the many and find that it is more ethical to release Utilityman then I will abide by their decision”.

Which of these two candidates would you vote for?

Certificate 15
Story
Stories
Philosophy

Comments

Submitted by Canonette on

"Equality before the law" is, in my opinion, an important principle and foundation for a system of justice.  Wealth, influence, or super powers should not be brought to bear on the verdict or punishment.  Utilityman should serve his time, just like everyone else.  Jimmy Savile raised millions of pounds for charity and this could be said to have saved the lives of many people, but he also used this activity as a front to gain access to vulnerable people, so that he could abuse them.  I'm very sorry that he died without his victims being able to gain justice, but he obviously had some friends in very high places. 

 

Submitted by well-wisher on

But surely anyone could have raised that money? Jimmy Saville wasn’t especially useful; he was just a dumb radio DJ and TV Presenter who did charity work that anyone could have done; he wasn’t special or irreplaceable in any way.  He wasn’t, for example an Albert Einstein or William Shakespeare.

Oh look, a link. I wonder where it leads.

JoHn

Submitted by Canonette on

He was apparently very useful for supplying children for the paedophile parties of the rich and famous.  He was much more than a radio DJ - he spent Christmas with Margaret Thatcher, acted as a mediator between Prince Charles and Diana... he was a very powerful man.  He wasn't a superhero though and he shouldn't have been above the law.

Einstein and Shakespeare, had they been sex offenders, should also have received equal punishment under the law.

If the law is partial, then it is not just.

 

Submitted by well-wisher on

But what if the person in question was the only person who could prevent the extinction of the human race and would only do it on the condition that they were pardoned their offences; what would be more important then, justice or the fate of the human race?

Oh look, a link. I wonder where it leads.

JoHn

Submitted by Canonette on

Then, I suppose saving the human race could be seen as 'community service' and he could be pardoned.  This is a highly improbable scenario!

 

Submitted by well-wisher on

But a superhero is a highly improbable scenario while a scientist, such as Albert Einstein, whose mind could contain ideas necessary to saving humankind is not so improbable.

Oh look, a link. I wonder where it leads.

JoHn

Submitted by Canonette on

Some of the greatest scientists of the twentieth century were to be found in Nazi Germany.  'Super powers' can be used for good or evil.

 

Submitted by well-wisher on

Yes. I don't know if you've heard of Operation Paperclip; the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) program in which scientists, technicians, and engineers from Nazi Germany were brought to the United States for employment. In that case, perhaps the American government chose utility over justice although maybe they thought it was in the interests of the American people.

Oh look, a link. I wonder where it leads.

JoHn

Submitted by Canonette on

Wasn't really in the interests of the Japanese though!  I suppose there is a perfect ideal of justice and then there's real life.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I enjoy your joint comment threads very much!

 

Submitted by Canonette on

It's well-wisher's thread - I'm probably just annoying him!