Honor Killings on the rise in Palestine

As order has disintegrated in Palestine their has been a rise in killings known as "Honor Killings." An Honor Killing occurs when a woman is suspected of having an "illicit relationship" family members kill the woman in order to cleanse the families honor. Over the last 50 years these types of killings have increased. If someone admits to an Honor Killing the sentence is just 6 months in jail. This is not a fair punishment for killing someone. This sentence encourages future Honor Killings because the sentence is so light. A member of a particular family doesn't mind spending 6 months in jail if it means cleansing the family. There have already been 21 Honor Killings on the West Back and 25 more in Gaza.

One may argue that these Honor Killings can be justified by cultural relativism, because in Islamic law an unmarried woman found guilty of having an affair can be sentenced to 100 lashes, and for a married woman, the sentence is death by stoning. However, some of these killings may not even be Honor Killings, may not even be Honor Killings. The killings of Wafa Wahda and her sisters Sima and Eman el-Adel by their brother was said to be Honor killings, but it is believed that they had an inheritance dispute.

What is to be done about these killings when the government is in such array that it has other matters to attend to? The sentence is astonishingly light and something needs to be done, so that these killings do not continue.

Psychologists to endorse gay marriage

At a meeting in Honolulu last Wednesday, the American Psychological Association officially endorsed the idea that Gay couples should be able to get married. Currently, the APA is the worlds largest group of psychologists. This new endorsement is important to the on going question as to whether or not Gay's should have equal civil rights. Many people who oppose Gay marriage believe that it is wrong, and mainly a psychological problem; the APA's endorsement of the situation basically throws a wrench into that argument. The APA also believes that Gay couples should have just as many equal parental rights. Gay marriage is an issue that will continue to be argued for many years. Gay couples are humans just like everyone else, and should not be denied rights just because of sexual orientation. Will the APA's endorsement of Gay marriage change people's opinions and eventually make Gay marriage legal, or will the ongoing argument continue to be a social and political issue with no resolution?