Honour Killing: A Most Vile Oxymoron

Social Media is one of the two greatest gifts the Internet has given us.  The other is access to limitless information. It is almost impossible to imagine a world without the Internet.

Thanks to the pioneering work of Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau,  the founders of the World Wide Web, we know carry around smartphones with access to almost all of human knowledge.

Social Media sites are responsible for giving a voice to people around the globe, even those who live in closed societies. And with a voice comes debate, analysis and hopefully, enlightenment.

The more people on the Net, the more likely they will leave religion and discard antiquated cultural pursuits.

The more knowledge available for free, the more superstition and injustice will be eradicated. At least that's what I hope.

The greatest disappointment to me is that the Internet is still limited to only half of the world's population. Just as well the benevolent honchos at Google are intent on changing that fact and are planning to provide a truly global service.

The sooner, the better.

With information-sharing technology comes the daily flood of tragedies and wrong-doings by so-called human beings, to our attention. One particular injustice is "Honour Killing"

Above pictures depict India's crying shame. I must stress this disturbing subject is not unique to India and is reported from many other countries. To those of a delicate disposition I ask not to search Google on this topic, as the content is so abhorrent it is likely to traumatize even the hardiest of men.

These vile acts, often but not always perpetrated against young women, leave me in despair. I simply can't fathom what drives people to such action: to pay for perceived honour with the blood of their own family.

What honour is there among those callous and ignorant barbarians, that makes them kill?

What honour is there among cold-blooded sadistic criminals who have no sympathy or empathy toward their own flesh and blood?

What possible and justifiable honour can there be among those who carry out such vile acts? If they have 'honour' then that word has been hijacked by sick-minded and deluded people.

According to statistics these assassinations are on the increase, or at least as I suspect and hope, an increase in reporting the cases.

The saddest aspect of honour killings is the apparent lack of interest in the part of the authorities of such countries to combat this sickness.

Will the Internet bring education to the remote corners of the world where most of these executions take place? And will it help educate those who commit this most foul of murders?

I certainly hope so.

I can't wait, and neither can all the hapless future victims of this heinous and inhuman 'human value'.

:(