The Red Apples (part 33)

The Red Apples (part 33)
Time passed by. It got colder. They were all alone at the beach. The stars were shining bright. In this part of the world, the air had been cleaned for stars to be seen clearly for people to walk around with no problems breathing fresh air. Over hundreds of years ago this had been very different. Looking back locals had called it borrowed second-class air.

Victoria Sloan felt well-protected in the arms of Joshua Odhiambo. They talked about how many children they wanted to have. Instantly they simultaneously agreed on two possibly three children. For a few years, she was supposed to be looking after them before returning to work.

"Let me...if I may? Touch a very sensitive and controversial issue. I hope you don't mind and will take it with an open heart," said Victoria Sloan putting her head on his chest. She was not sure how he would react. But she knew that there was no way to avoid this topic. Sooner or later it had to be a topic among them. Her heart was beating fast.

"I will stand with you in good and bad times whatever may come. I might not share your sentiments always but would never condemn you when you think differently to my values," gave Joshua Odhiambo her reassurance. He touched her head tenderly. It was so soft. He smiled.

"We here in the USA abolished in all our states the death penalty but you people in Ghana and other African countries introduced it again," she carefully moved forward with her concern.

"Yes, and what is your problem?" spoke Joshua Odhiambo with a voice of confidence. He was not at all shaken.

"Is this not inhumane...I mean against human values. To send murderers to life in prison should be enough. They have a right to live like all of us. Yes, they took a life but the Old Testament should not apply. We, humans, must punish them for sure but must have mercy on them to a certain degree. After all, they are made by God and no state should have the right to kill such people. I hope you get me."

"Thank you for your open and honest words," said Joshua Odhiambo calmly understanding where his fiancee was coming from. "I honor your thinking and appreciate your ideas. Now we in Africa use it for murder cases as well as serious corruption charges and only for these two offences. Now no one is forced to kill anyone, isn't it?"

"Sure...no one is forced to or needs to kill another person...very true," agreed Victoria Sloan being relieved he was not angry with her. "But some are confused or do it out of the heat of the moment others under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Many later in prison regret their actions and turn to God others are released from prison and live a normal life only a few murder again."

"Very well spoken my love," said Joshua Odhiambo feeling at peace with the world. "Our definition of murder is very different from yours based on our principles and belief of modern new humans. For us, everyone is responsible for his own actions, not the circumstances he had passed through. Mistreatment during childhood for example can't be a reason to give mercy to that person over a professional killer or someone killing a person out of jealousy or greed to get a bigger inheritance. Jesus Christ was never interested in the motive of a sinner. He forgave everyone no matter what. When that person was willing to confess his sins and promised never to sin again. Your system is unfair as before each judge the sinner gets a different judgment. One judge is soft so less hard judgment another is harder so harder judgment for the same case. Is this fair and just?"

"We are all not robots but humans...imperfect," defended Victoria Sloan in her position. "Mistakes happen."

"I agree...sure. But mistakes and weaknesses must be constantly reduced to reach out to higher levels of human life," got Joshua Odhiambo up to have a better look at the horizon. It had already passed midnight. "We believe this unfairness our system has avoided so far. We were the first country in the world under King David that had and still do run public campaigns to tell our people not to kill anyone. No other nation to my best knowledge had ever done it. For us, we are not blind to believe murder cases or cases of serious corruption will be reduced to zero. Oh no, we are not that naive. What we say is a society only works by laws and laws must come with consequences otherwise they are useless. When someone lives in a society where the death penalty is in the law book he better abstain from killing someone hoping when caught to get away with life. In such a case the person is free to move to another society with less severe consequences. For us, we say the most important responsibility of a state is to protect and develop life. Therefore we must set a sign that we stand on these principles. Life is the basis for life on Earth and must be appreciated and valued always. This is why we run and run our campaigns that people should not kill others under any circumstances. Or kill nations by serious corruption. You people instead run education campaigns to end smoking, reduce the use of alcohol, lower sugar intake, and more physical workout. Things that are all important...but what is more important than the protection of life?" He paused for a moment and then added: Do not get me wrong...I still value the approach you people have taken here. But we have decided otherwise."

"Serious corruption in Africa...can it not be solved differently?" was Victoria Sloan skeptical.

"Especially in such cases, this detergent helps...otherwise the strong people will laugh about you and take you for granted. They will know you are weak and misuse society even more," answered Joshua Odhiambo looking at her. "Most men were fleeing Africa well in advance of a judgment to your countries. In absentia, we handed down the sentence to them."

They sat in silence side by side. Minutes passed like hours. Overhead they saw an airplane flying to a country of their imagination. They were holding hands.

Victoria Sloan broke the silence and asked: "I am sure I was not the first woman in your life."

"True," was his short answer.
"Tell me about her!"
"About my mother?" was he kidding her.
"You are a great fool!" pushed Victoria Sloan him on his left shoulder. "Your many girlfriends...you idiot."

Joshua Odhiambo laughed his head off: "Too many...but...but," he raised his voice and continued, "let me pick out a very special lady."

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