Another Stab at the Constitution : Revisiting the Constitution: Clarify What’s Cruel and Unusual Punishment

"Sometimes prison sentences -- even the most severe -- are a rational response to crime. But often, sentences are the product of a political process in which politicians are scared of appearing soft on crime so they do not even question the reasonableness of a proposed criminal law. It is the norm, not the exception, for politicians to reflexively push for harsher sentences without considering empirical evidence about what level of sanction is necessary for deterrence or what impact a sentence will have on communities. It is an environment long on rhetoric and short on reflection."

The author expresses that the Eighth amendment needs have a clearer standard on cruel and unusual punishment. She feels that many of the serve sentence are allowed or acceptable because politicians don’t want to seems soft on crime . The author also notes that it is regular for prosecutors to ask for harsher sentences without concrete evidence to convict and without  considering how it will affect the communities because it better the winning record and reputation too.

I feel that there should be a higher standards for the amount of concrete evidence needed to convicted someone and send them to prison for a lifetime or over 20 years. Reason being that this person if wrongly convicted will miss of on changes in society, their family growing up, their liberty and the ability  experiencing the world.  For instance; an Ohio man convicted of murder was released after 39 years  wrongful imprisonment on  November 13, 2014 which is the lifespan of some. The world seems strange to him because so much has changed such as ; the way people talk, dress, live and  people  that he know maybe died or have forgotten him. No amount of money can replace or erase the lost time and freedom that was taken from a person.

My Response to Bourne

"But if freedom means a democratic cooperation in determining the ideals and purposes and industrial and social institutions of a country, then the immigrant has not been free, and the Anglo-Saxon element is guilty of just what every dominant race is guilty of in every European country: the imposition of its culture upon the minority people"

  Bourne argues that if a country determined the beliefs, work or which institutions are acceptable for its immigrants, they are not free because their right to choose has been removed. He goes on to blame the Anglo Saxon that believes the white race is superior of committing this wrongful act.

    I agree with Bourne because so many immigrants have come and still migrate to America for freedom to be who they prefer to be. Whether it’s to practice the religion that they were persecuted for or to live as a transgender, it is freedom if we don't prohibited them or violate their private. If we don't let them develop their own lifestyle; we too are guilty of what we fight wars over and protest about Limiting Human Rights.

    I think that Americans can be very narrow-minded and need to extend our thinking. Also even more importantly as people we should learn other cultures because there are things that can be helpful to improve our lives in areas such as; health. For instance, in Japan the Okinawans follow an old proverb that says “eat until you are 80% full” instead of gorging" which has been working for them apparently because they are living the longest in the world. It be honest being “ American” in its simplest form means that you live on the continent of North American, we make up ourselves through our family, values, experiences and believes.