Howard Metzenbaum: “the American people awoke this morning to a report that Michael Fay, convicted of petty vandalism in Singapore, had been…”

“the American people awoke this morning to a report that Michael Fay, convicted of petty vandalism in Singapore, had been subjected to four strokes of a rattan cane. When I first learned of Michael Fay's sentence, I was shocked. Fay was sentenced to a prison term of 4 months, a fine of $2,700, and six strokes of a cane. This 18-year-old kid, along with a group of school friends, had committed what was, in effect, a teenage prank. No one was hurt. Yes, property was damaged but not seriously. Some of the paint that was sprayed--I guess all of it was wiped off easily. No one ever suggested that Fay should have been allowed to escape responsibility for his actions. What I question is the nature of the punishment, not the fact that punishment is deserved. I certainly support stern penalties for criminals, be they vandals or murderers. I acknowledge the right of any nation to subject lawbreakers to punishment provided there is a due process. What I object to is the use of torture by any nation in the name of maintaining law and order. Torture has no place in the justice systems in nations calling themselves civilized. The truth of the matter is that torture is not really used by nations that want to maintain law and order among their own people. Rather, history teaches us that torture is used by nations which are afraid of their own people. Let there be no mistake, caning is a form of torture.”