Radio Leicester Thought for
the Day
© John Denney, 17 January
2000
I see that Mike Tyson finally arrived
yesterday by Concorde to prepare for a boxing match in a couple
of week’s time. It was only by the Home Secretary
intervening that he was allowed to enter the country.
Apparently, a convicted foreign national who has served more than
12 months in prison can only be allowed into Britain if
“exceptional compassionate circumstances” apply. And
Jack Straw has decided to be “compassionate”. Not
actually to Mike Tyson, but to all the small businesses that
stand to lose money if the fight does not take place. For
Mike Tyson was convicted of the rape of an eighteen year old girl
in 1991 and went to prison. Various pressure groups are
campaigning to have Mr Straw’s decision reversed, and Tyson
sent home.
And I also see that Myra Hindley, one of
the Moors Murderers, has been receiving treatment for a
potentially fatal brain condition in Addenbrooke’s Hospital
in Cambridge. The hospital’s administrative director
said there had been a "number of representations" from
the public who objected to the child killer receiving treatment.
Although both of these cases have many
strands, I wonder if there is a common thread that runs through
them both. Mike Tyson and Myra Hindley were convicted of
contemptible crimes. No one can condone their terrible
deeds. Their prison sentences are richly deserved. But
the reaction of pressure groups and individuals to Mike
Tyson’s arrival, and the claims of some that Myra Hindley
should not receive medical treatment, both seek to heap further
punishment on top of the sentences already meted out. Vindictiveness
is at work here, and there is no place for that in a just,
civilised, democratic and – yes! – Christian country
like ours.
Seventeen days ago, the world celebrated
two thousand years of Christianity, and one of the overwhelming
themes in Christ’s teaching is justice. Justice
tempered with Mercy. For one of the other great themes of
Christianity is forgiveness. The prayer that Jesus taught says
forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass
against us.
Now, we are not the ones “trespassed
against” by Tyson or Hindley, so we are not directly in a
position to forgive them. But we can see that both justice
and mercy are exercised in their cases.
Jesus said, Do not judge, or you too
will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you
will be judged. [Mat.7:1-2]