Respectfully, whatever punishment he recieved would not be fitting of the crime. Nor would it be enough to deter it from happening elsewhere. Everytime we turn on the news, read a paper etc we are faced with crimes that defy the very nature of how an evolved human being should act.
Religion, ignorance, rage, temporary insanity etc are not excuses nor sould they be used like a get out jail free trump card. The colour of a mans skin does not reflect on the potential to commit that crime. Just because he was black does not mean we should expect it, be unsurprised by it or treat others like him with a new prejudice. We all have that capacity regardless of our skin.
I would agree with another poster who said that culture plays a part in it. When people commit simlair crimes and seem to get off with it, others are given the impression they are free to do the same without fear or punishment. Its going to get worse before it gets any better. End of the day, this is just another statistic, by next week it will be all but forgotten because someone will have done worse!
We will all outraged by it, shocked for a few seconds by it, say our piece and move on to that anal gallery of the hot blonde with the blue eyes. Hence the cycle goes on.
We as individuals can only protect our own, take care of ourselves and watch through the window as the world tears itself apart one broken home at a time and hope on the other side, we still have what we started with.
