Module 5

News Article

Voices of Aurora: Coping with grief, conquering life

The Ethical Connection

       According to Edwards, Scott, and Ramsay (2015), "On July 20, 2012, excited moviegoers gathered for a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" at the Century Aurora 16 Multiplex Theater in Aurora, Colorado." Shortly into the movie, a gunman entered the theater and began opening fire on the patrons. "Twelve people were killed and another 58 were wounded," Edwards, Scott, and Ramsay (2015) reported. Fast forward to almost three years later, and the survivors as well as the friends and families of the victims, are interviewed to see how they are coping. The reason for this glimpse into the lives of those involved is because tomorrow shooting suspect James Holmes goes on trial for 165 counts, including murder and attempted murder charges (Edwards, Scott, & Ramsay, 2015).

       Do some of the victims forgive the gunman for the pain he caused? Surprisingly, some of the victims do. Those that would like to meet the shooter and say that they actually forgive him for what he has done, believe in the justice system, have religious faith, and pity the assailant. These individuals believe in a forward-looking view of justice. According to Rosenstand (2013), if there are no future benefits to be had from punishing someone, then a forward-looking theory will not recommend punishment" (p. 358). Depending on who you ask, Holmes needs to be punished, but for what reasons will it be justified. "Retribution states that a person should be punished because he or she has committed a crime, and the punishment should be in proportion to that crime," as stated by Rosenstand (2015, p. 358). Let's just hope that Holmes' punishment is sufficient enough to give closure to those involved.

       References

Edwards, M., Scott, N., & Ramsay, K. (2015, April 26). Voices of Aurora: Coping with grief, conquering life. Cable News Network. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/26/us/voices-of-aurora/index.html

Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New 
          York, NY: McGraw-Hill.