Feedback on China Execution Issue

Thank you, dear students, for your opinions/thoughts regarding the issue I posted.

Twelve of you said " Yes, the government must interfere." while ten said "No, the Philippines must not interfere."

On both sides are good arguments- some are anchored on the of valuing/respecting national laws while others are on the value of life.

My personal stand is: The government should not interfere. I say this, not because I do not value life. Of course we all do. But I agree with those who say that before they were caught, these OFWs already knew what they were doing. Some argue that it's poverty that drove these people to do something illegal. I see the point of that argument. BUT, it does not excuse the wrongness of their act. They have decided to go through with drug trafficking even though they knew it was wrong. At that time, they should also have been prepared to face the consequences of their actions.

We all have our strategies to survive. Some are blessed to be able to do so without having to break the law. Others are coerced to engage in activities that endanger their lives, their families or their governments. We cannot judge them using only morals as basis because truly, there are circumstances that could not be avoided. Nevertheless, it is my stand that the government should not interfere further in this case. To do so may have more ugly repercussions like China asking us to return a favor and release criminals we have captured in our territory or more OFWs having the courage and allow themselves to peddle drugs.

Filipino Execution in China: Should the Government Interfere?

News of three Filipinos convicted of drug trafficking hit the stands these past days. Despite pleas from our government, China stands firm in its decision to execute the Pinoys via firing squad.

As I listen to more details of this event, I reach the conclusion that the convicted people knew what they were actually doing in exchange for money- very precious commodity to many Filipinos fighting tooth and nail just to earn some. 

Then they were caught and are facing the death penalty. Now they call on the government for help.Now my question is this- should the government interfere in this case?

Unlock the Quote #1

"He is nothing who can do nothing. He can achieve nothing, fulfill nothing, without working."
1. Explain the passage.
2. State your stand.
3. Give an example to illustrate your stand.

Post Something Worth Discussing

Nobody has monopoly of issues that could be points for discussion. What are you thinking? What issues would you like to raise so you can tickle the minds of your classmates?

1. Post one issue on your own blog site. Issue should be timely, relevant to teenagers like you and could arouse conflicting ideas.
2. Visit blog sites of your classmates and comment on the issues they have raised.
3. Answer queries and comments given in your blog post.
4. Close comments by February 25, 2011.

My Work, My Identity

     In the real world, we are known because of the work we do. For example, when people do not exactly know the person being discussed, they ask questions like: "You mean Anna, the fish vendor?" Or "Are you talking about Pedro, the carpenter from Samoki?"
     Even in the olden times, people created their identities through their work. Jose Rizal is not known because of his family. He is known because of his works as a writer, doctor, engineer, etc. His outputs later earned him the recognition of being a genius. Another example is Adolf Hitler. He is known, albeit negatively, because he was the general that made World War II possible. How he was able to do it earned him tags such as "charming", "great public speaker".
     Assume that you are already ten years into the work that you have chosen for your self. How will that work create your identity? How do you want others to know you or judge you because of the work you do?