Discussion: Punished for the Wrong Reasons

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In part two of The Stranger, the jury convicts Meursault NOT for the murder of the nameless Arab, but because he didn’t cry at his mother’s funeral. In your view, should people be judged, legally or otherwise, for not abiding by society’s norms? In other words, in which ways might be it be valid to punish those we consider different from us in terms of culture, religious beliefs, or morals?

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I feel as if Meursault’s trial was very unjust. Yes, he should have been punished for killing the Arab on the beach, however, his sentencing was more based on his emotionless nature rather than the crime. In a perfect world, I would say that it is unfair to judge somebody just because they are different, or they are not “normal.” But, our world is not fair, and in reality when we see somebody who does something differently than we do, our fist thought is to judge. In everyday life, I hope that we can stop branding people who are different as “weird” or “strange” because that isn’t always the case. When it comes to a trial, I feel as if personality traits can be helpful in choosing a sentencing, but they shouldn’t be the sole reason. For example, Meursault should have been convicted of his crime because he did kill the Arab. However, sentencing a first time offender to execution because he doesn’t express and/or allow himself to feel his own emotions seems extreme. He should have been given life in prison with the possibility of parole if he can prove that he is not a danger to the people. I feel as if it is very rare for anyone to have the right to “punish” anyone because they are different than us. The only thing I can think of is if someone is using their culture or religious beliefs to condone violence, that would be a moral I personally (and I assume many others) would not condone. However, I also believe that any major judgment should be saved for a judge and a jury. I certainly believe that I would form a negative opinion and standpoint on these types of people and there eventual crimes, but I don’t feel as if I have the right to judge them, because I truly do not know what is going through their mind. How does someone know they are not mentally ill, or that they have been brainwashed by someone, or maybe they just believe that what they are doing is right. Until we have all of the facts and know everything there is to know about somebody or something, we really do not have the right to judge someone, even though we are only human and will most likely will do it anyways.