# MANDATORY death sentences? Fuck off Singapore. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 23, 2005, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400 "2005-11-23T09:14:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/264 "2005-12-03T04:41:39Z")
[QUOTE=Denis] … Australia, Britain, and Canada; all republics. … [/quote] Sadly no. Not yet. And not all other European countires are republics either. Yes, it’s a nitpick but … well, sorry, I ought to be asleep now but instead I am being pedantic. Ooops. As you were, chaps. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Updike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@Updike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Updike)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/265 "2005-12-03T05:20:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Execute Truong Van Nguyen? Just try it. See what happens then fuckers. > [@](#): > > For those who laugh and claim there is nothing really much I can do about this, you may be right. However, tomorrow morning, at 6.00 am Singapore Time, I will be ringing my Utilities provider (Gas) to cancel my account (TXU for those Victorians and South Aussie’s who are interested) and also cancelling my Mobile Phone subscription (Optus, again for those who are interested) because they are majority owned by Singaporean companies. I will probably be crying as I do so. I’m sure Singapore is quaking in her boots. You’re going to cancel your Gas account AND your cell phone? That’ll show 'em, all right. Here’s a tissue, silly. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/266 "2005-12-03T05:59:20Z")
> [@Updike](#): > > I’m sure Singapore is quaking in her boots. You’re going to cancel your Gas account AND your cell phone? That’ll show 'em, all right. Here’s a tissue, silly. :rolleyes: Y’know, yer’ absolutely right **Updike.** It was a pathetic and feeble attempt to voice my pathetic and feeble opinion against what I believe to be a gross injustice. 😛 But somehow, despite all of that, it made me feel that I had done \*something. \* And if other people do the same, or refuse to fly Singapore Airlines, or perhaps cancel that shopping-spree holiday they had planned… Little drops in the ocean, individually, but collectively…? ---
**Author:** ![Updike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@Updike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Updike)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/267 "2005-12-03T06:06:45Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Little drops in the ocean, individually, but collectively…? We can’t have any of that collectivist stuff, you Bolshevik! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/268 "2005-12-03T06:24:21Z")
I wouldn’t be surprised if a drop in tourism manages to show on the radar, partly because of a protest maybe but also because people might be simply _scared_ to go to Singapore (whether or not that latter view is justified). ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/269 "2005-12-03T06:58:12Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > I wouldn’t be surprised if a drop in tourism manages to show on the radar, partly because of a protest maybe but also because people might be simply _scared_ to go to Singapore (whether or not that latter view is justified). Probably only amongst the drug traffickers … which is Singapore’s intent, anyway … ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/270 "2005-12-03T07:10:51Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Y’know, yer’ absolutely right **Updike.** It was a pathetic and feeble attempt to voice my pathetic and feeble opinion against what I believe to be a gross injustice. 😛 > > But somehow, despite all of that, it made me feel that I had done \*something. \* And if other people do the same, or refuse to fly Singapore Airlines, or perhaps cancel that shopping-spree holiday they had planned… > > Little drops in the ocean, individually, but collectively…? Instead of micro-economic tactics, **kambuckta** , why don’t the macro version – get enough of your nation’s citizens to tell your government to quit sucking up to a country with the death penalty on its books? ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/271 "2005-12-03T07:40:10Z")
All well and good in theory, but petitioning does _nothing_ unless the government _itself_ has something to lose. Given that our nation is about 50/50 divided on whether Singapore was right to hang Nguyen, our government has no economic reason/s of their own to acquiesce to any ‘demands’ on the part of the anti-DP group. But if 50% of Australians (or even the 5 or 10% of _them_) who might feel passionate enough to make their opinions known to the _Singapore_ hip pocket, THEN our gummint might sit up and take notice. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/272 "2005-12-03T07:58:14Z")
Best of luck. You’re a telemarketer – why not start your own campaign, at least? ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/273 "2005-12-03T08:08:56Z")
I sent the SG government a rude email. Does that count? I await the black helicopters (very, very clean ones 😃 ). ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/274 "2005-12-03T08:14:08Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > I sent the SG government a rude email. Does that count? > > I await the black helicopters (very, very clean ones 😃 ). I’m sure they’re crappin’ in their pants as we speak. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/275 "2005-12-03T08:30:49Z")
I’m sure it was deleted/ignored on sight. However, I’m further sure that they got rather a few more than just mine. It all adds up - I don’t yet think Mr Nguyen had died completely in vain. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/276 "2005-12-03T08:38:49Z")
> [@Ice Wolf](#): > > Best of luck. You’re a telemarketer – why not start your own campaign, at least? And here I was trying to start a serious thread, and you come in with all this funny stuff. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/277 "2005-12-03T08:45:22Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > And here I was trying to start a serious thread, and you come in with all this funny stuff. > > 😛 If you think it’s all funny, fine, **kambuckta**. Soon as you get serious, you might get somewhere with actually righting the world. 50% of Aussie reckons the execution was a good thing? I’d heard there’d been split surveys over your way. Do your boycott, hope enough folk follow your example because you’ve mentioned it here. Seriously, I wish you the best of luck. But when you decide to get serious about things – _then_ I’ll say your chances of shifting things to a just state of affairs will improve. 'Till then, sadly, it’s all just pissing in the wind. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/278 "2005-12-03T08:50:03Z")
Bwahahahahahaha. Stop it **Icey** , yer’ cracking me up!! 😃😃😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/279 "2005-12-03T08:56:09Z")
And this is why your words mean – nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/280 "2005-12-03T09:32:49Z")
I didn’t leave out jack. He decided he was going to be a drug runner and the supplier decided to check out if the late Mr. Nguyen “had what it took.” Evidently, at least according to the late Mr. Nguyen did. Entirely voluntary. As was his decision to run drugs through Singapore. ---
**Author:** ![stringy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@stringy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stringy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/281 "2005-12-03T09:49:28Z")
**Shagnasty** , it’s pretty condescending to assume that **Denis** is being racist when he calls Singapore a fascist country. It’s an accurate observation of the extremely tight control the government has over it’s people. It’s a fact that Singapore does not have a free press or free media: they [rank 140th out of 167 countries for media freedom](http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=32656) and have made attempts at censoring the internet sites their citizens are allowed to access. They lead the world in executions per capita: [Amnesty International report](http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA360012004?open&of=ENG-SGP). They impose caning sentences for some murders, child exploitation and people smuggling crimes, but drug smuggling gets the death penalty. They barely tolerate opposition parties to their current government party, which has been in place since 1965. Outdoor gatherings of more than 4 people require a police permit where you have to state your purpose, making organising protests nearly impossible. My own opinion on this case is that the death penalty is always barbaric, and since the Singapore government has close trade ties with Burma (one of the world’s biggest producers of opium and heroin) it seems hypocritical of them to be executing drug traffickers while they make a profit from the drug trade themselves. [Article from the Sydney Morning Herald](http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/tough-on-drugs-soft-on-drug-lords/2005/11/08/1131407638823.html). ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/282 "2005-12-03T10:00:05Z")
> [@Denis](#): > > Singapore is a fascist state. Its government is authoritarian and dictatorial. No matter that it is prosperous. So are we. We are a republic. So is most of Europe, and it’s a republic. So is Australia, Britain, and Canada; all republics. As pointed above, you are quite mistaken as to the form of government of [Australia](http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2698.htm)[sup]1[/sup], the [United Kingdom](http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3846.htm)[sup]2[/sup], and [Canada](http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2089.htm)[sup]3[/sup]. By the way, Europe is composed of more than one country. Some of those countries happen to not be republics. > [@](#): > > I happen to be born, raised, and educated in a republic. Then could have been born, raised, and educated in [Singapore](http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2798.htm)[sup]4[/sup], which afer all, is a republic. > [@](#): > > So do I find the death penalty. Especially when it is mandatory. Especially when it is used on someone who merely _wanted_ to help his brother. Please pay attention to that. Why don’t you pay attention to that? You assert that he merely wanted to help his brother. I assert, as the facts indicated, that he merely wanted to help his brother by committing a very serious crime in a jurisdiction that takes that very seriously. > [@](#): > > There is no proof that he wanted to smuggle drugs (aside from as a device to help his stupid brother), there is no proof that he wanted to corrupt Singaporean or Australian citizens. He wanted to help and protect his brother. Actually, the facts indicate he wanted to contribute to corruption of at least some Australians as that was his destination with the illegal drugs. He was also taking part in the corruption of at least some Cambodian citizens as that was the origin of his little “he’s not heavy” jaunt. And the government of Singapore is very serious, as this case shows, about how it considers people trafficking in drugs by way of their territory. > [@](#): > > I personally brutalized a policeman’s son to help and protect my brother. How kind of you. Did you not even consider calling the appropriate authorities? > [@](#): > > The statute of limitations has long run out, by the way. It was a huge risk for a stupid sibling. Well, bully for you. > [@](#): > > I took it. I loved, and love, my brother. That excuses everything, now, doesn’t it? * * * [sup]1[/sup]Commonwealth of Australia; Democratic, federal-state system recognizing British monarch as sovereign. [sup]2[/sup]United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Constitutional monarchy. [sup]3[/sup]Canada; Confederation with parliamentary democracy; Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II. [sup]4[/sup]Singapore; Parliamentary republic. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400/283 "2005-12-03T10:14:07Z")
> [@Ice Wolf](#): > > Instead of micro-economic tactics, **kambuckta** , why don’t the macro version – get enough of your nation’s citizens to tell your government to quit sucking up to a country with the death penalty on its books? You mean the USA? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-death-sentences-fuck-off-singapore/332400.md?page=15)