Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Drink 'til it hurts

Compared to the anti-alcohol fanatics in Malaysia, our own Carrie Nation was a softie.

Sure, she carried an ax, but the tool was for the places that sold demon rum, not the drinkers.

Things are going to be a little rougher in Malaysia for a Muslim woman who was caught -- gasp, horror! -- drinking beer in a raid on a hotel night club.

The unlucky lass will get six lashes from a cane. And she really is unlucky, as she’s the first "criminal" to get that sentence for tossing back a few.

It sounds kinda barbaric, but the prosecutor was kinda proud of what he achieved:

“It is a good punishment because under Islamic law a person who drinks commits a serious offense.”

In fact, to show he’s not some kind of savage, the prosecutor noted that the little lady would be beaten by a lighter-grade rattan cane than the one used on men.

After all, he said the purpose is to “educate” rather than punish.

OK, he’s convinced me. But I’m taking away a different lesson from this teachable moment than the one he was thinking about.

As in, some folks still haven’t figured out that this is 21st century, not the 12th.

1 comment:

Mack said...

In the 12th century one could have a drink without fear; it's the 21st that is becoming more and more deadly because of the practitioners of the Religion of Peace.