Class Project-Help please!!!

[randiann]

Hey everyone! I'm doing an ethnography for one of my anthropology classes (basically I'm gathering opinions) and thought it would be interesting to get some opinions from here since there is such a diverse range of backgrounds and ages. If you would, please read the story below and simply give me your opinions about it and tell me, in your opinion, if justice was served, and why or why not. If you would (pretty please) either post or pm me the following info over the next week or so. I'm trying to determine what background info is influential to your opinions about justice, so give as much personal info as you feel comfortable with if you would. It will only be used for educational purposes. Thanks!!!

First name or BB name (something just so I can personally ID demographics with opinions, a number is fine even)
Age
Where you were born (general location; country is fine)
Present Location (again, just a general idea of where you are in the universe)
Race
Occupation
Gender
Religious affiliation
Political affiliation
Education level (High school, some college, etc.)
Anything else you feel may be pertinent to influencing your beliefs

This story is based on the traditions of the Native American Ioway tribe. It is set approximately in 1800. I have subsituted Buffyverse names for the names in the story (it's alot more fun than using Bubbah and George) but please do not let that influence your opinions. The question for you is: Has justice been served? Why or why not? What should have been done differently? Any other thoughts on the matter will be greatly appreciated as well!

In the Ioway tradition, there is a person in the village elected to the position of "camp crier". He was male, and basically the town gossip. His job is to know everything that goes on in the village, and snitch on anyone who does something they are not supposed to do. Camp crier is not a well liked man, but serves a purpose. He is the eyes and ears of the villiage council, and alerts them immediately to any wrong doing.

It is time for the men to go on a hunt. Not all go to hunt, only those who are selected may go and the others have to wait until it is their turn. Oz, a newly married man, is selected to go on the hunt this time. His wife, Willow, is rather upset, seeing as she must stay home and tend the household. Willow is a pretty woman, and Oz is not happy about having to leave his new bride for the next three weeks, but he has been chosen and must go. Now Xander is another man from the Ioway villiage. He is known for being a bit of a womanizer and a flirt. He has not been selected and must stay in the villiage. Xander gets it in his mind that Willow would make a great conquest and decides to pursue her while her husband is away.

Xander starts out slow in his pursuit, walking by her house, making small talk with her as she does her chores. He offers to go get her water and does other small favors for her. Willow begins to trust Xander, thinking that his reputation must be exaggerated; he's really quite a nice guy. After a week or so, Xander comes by and says, "hey, Willow, why don't you take a break and sit down with me. We can just chat and enjoy the day for a little bit. I'll help you finish your chores later." So they sit outside and talk. The next few days go the same way, with the two becoming good friends (or so Willow thinks). One day it's fairly chilly outside, so Xander says "Willow, why don't you sit inside your doorway so you won't be cold. I'll still sit outside so no one will think anything bad about us. We'll just sit and talk." So they do. Xander sits just outside the doorway, and Willow sits inside.

A few days go by like this, and then Xander comes by one evening. It's raining outside, and he knocks on Willow's door. "Hi Willow, I brought you a present." It's a bottle of alcohol. "Let's sit inside and visit, it's rainy and cold out here. We can leave the door open if you want." Willow, not wanting to be a bad friend to Xander, allows him in her home, against her better judgement. The night goes by, and before she knows it, Willow wakes up in her bed, and Xander is lying next to her. She is very distraught, she cannot believe she betrayed Oz. Willow is crying, and asks Xander to leave and never tell Oz what happened. So Xander sneaks out and back to his house, thinking he is getting away with sleeping with Willow.

Unknown to both of them, Camp Crier has seen everything. He noticed Xander going into the house the night before, and leaving the next morning. He heard Willow's sobs emitting from her bedroom window, and he knew what happened. He immediately goes and tells the council. The council send a delegation of women over to fetch Willow. They bring her to the center of town, and ask her what she has done. She admits she cheated on Oz. The women then circle around her, getting closer and closer. Suddenly they stop circling her, and the woman in front of her pulls out a knife and cuts off the tip of her nose. Bleeding and humiliated, Willow runs home. She is now marked for life as being an adultress.

The council then sends a party to fetch Xander. They bring him to the center of town, and ask him what he has done. He can't very well deny it, they all know what kind of man he is. The men then come and strip him naked. They take his old clothes and throw them away. They dress him in the finest clothes they can find. The women come and braid his hair, decorating it with feathers and other ornaments. The council then tells him to go and pick out the finest horse he can find in the villiage. The people then go and decorate the horse as well, braiding its mane and painting it. Then they give Xander a bow and a quiver of arrows. They tell him to pick a direction, and never come back or he will be killed. He is banished for life. Unfortunately for Xander, just outside of the villiage lives the Ioway's enemies. As soon as they see Xander dressed so finely they will know that he has been banished. He is alone, and an easy target. Xander's ultimate punishment is a slow torturous death at enemy hands.

When Oz comes home, he will see his wife's deformed face. He will know what she has done. And he will have the choice to stay with her or leave her. But Oz will not get his revenge on Xander. By taking this away from Oz, the council ensures that there will not be discontent and fighting within the villiage. Were that to happen, the Ioways would become an easy target for their enemies as they would be too busy fighting each other to band together and defeat their enemies. It is for the sake of the village that punishment is doled out in this manner. The Ioway let their enemies kill those condemned to death instead of doing it themselves. This keeps families from fighting each other. The question is though, is this fair? Is this justice?

 

[Tueuse de Vampires]

First name or BB name: Kristine
Age: 18
Where you were born (general location; country is fine): GDR (German Democratic Republic, eastern Germany)
Present Location (again, just a general idea of where you are in the universe):FRG (Federal Republic of Germany, western Germany)
Race: white (half Russian, half German)
Occupation: I still go to school
Gender: female
Religious affiliation:none, agnostic at most
Political affiliation: Left-wing
Education level (High school, some college, etc.): Final year or school, Gymnasium (that's the best public education you get here, this is required if you want to go to university)
Anything else you feel may be pertinent to influencing your beliefs: I was born in eastern Germany, which at that time, was aiming at communism. That's another point, my mom is from Russia, my dad from the GDR, so I think this influences each one of us in how we view the world.

I don't think this is justice. First of all, it's not other people's business if two people sleep together, no matter if one of them is married or not. I can understand that this tribe wants o keep trouble away from them, but this does not give them the right to decide what's wrong and what isn't.
Second, I don't think just because you're married you're not allowed to sleep with somebody else. Even if you are, you can still decide for yourself what's right for you and as long as you don't affect others in a severe way, you should be allowed to do so.

 

[Rebecca]

First name or BB name: Rebecca
Age: 25
Where you were born: Cardiff, Wales
Present Location: Manchester, England
Race: White
Occupation: Trainee Nursery Teacher
Gender: Female
Religious affiliation: Nonconformist
Political affiliation: Conservative
Education level (High school, some college, etc.): Post grad

No I don't think that this is justice. The "Camp Crier" may not have all his facts correct and "Xander" could have been put to his death unjustifiably for all they know. I don't understand how cutting off "Willow's" nose and sending "Xander" to his death will stop fighting within the village, when "Oz" finds out perhaps he would fight with Willow or other people in the village. From what I've read Willow seems distraught with herself anyway, and surely that is punishment enough. In a small(?) village like this one it is understandable to send Xander away but the way in which they did it was cruel and unjustified.

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

First name or BB name; Alister J Cooling
Age; 25
Where you were born; Leeds, England
Present Location; London, England
Race; Human
Occupation; Account Management
Gender; Male
Religious affiliation; Christian
Political affiliation; Conservative
Education level; Grad
Anything else you feel may be pertinent to influencing your beliefs; I don't know if this counts but I am a member of the Conservative Youth Movement known as Conservative Future. My family are Labour voters and I grew up in those surroundings, but I made my decision of political affiliation when Labour won the 1997. I asked my father who he voted for and told me Labour. I asked why and he told me that 'it was pointless voting anyone else because Labour we're going to win'. This annoyed me. His decision in a free vote was based on what everyone else was doing. I hated that he wasn't voting for the correct reasons, so I decided to study up on politics and found Conservative Values were closest to my own.



To quote a great 'The Needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few'.

The Council believe what they are doing is for the benefit of the community. The decision they have made is based purely on that. Xanders death is a painful repercussion. Oz's lack of retribution another and Willows disfigurement a sad reminder of her indiscretion.

Having said that, many factors were ignored that would have baring on the outcome.

We also have to take into account it isn't a certain death sentence for Xander it is essentially just banishment. What happens as as a result is not written in the stars - heck, one could argue that sending Oz to hunt is just as dangerous but he is doing it for the good of the people.

All in all, I don't think justice plays any part in this incident, its all about doing what is right and wrong and living with the consequences.

 

[Vicariously]

First name or BB name (something just so I can personally ID demographics with opinions, a number is fine even)
Age April
Where you were born (general location; country is fine) NC (USA)
Present Location (again, just a general idea of where you are in the universe) VA (USA)
Race White
Occupation home maker
Gender female
Religious affiliation none
Political affiliation none
Education level (High school, some college, etc.) some college
Anything else you feel may be pertinent to influencing your beliefs

I feel it is important that I do not deny the possiblity that God may exist. Ultimately though I feel that "energy" is exchanged throughout the world. Both Negative and positive...its a complicated thought process but basically I believe that you put out energy and recieve energy and its about the balance of that energy that makes up how happy your life is.

anyhow...

No I dont feel that justice was served.

First and foremost the tribe neglected that Willow was tricked into infidelty. I feel that by punishing her for her infidelty is wrong. She is already suffering for it.

second it is only my opinion that Willow wasnt a willing participant in the adultry it is not fact. banishing Xander without proving his guilt first is wrong. You CANNOT punish someone simply based on repitation, while I believe he was most likely guilty of not only cohersing Willow into infidelty (which I view to be wrong) but rape I cannot be sure. If Willow was a willing participant at the time I think his punishment should be less. Ultimately though I believe that it is not the place of a council to punish him if he is only guilty of womanizing...I believe that cohersing Willow is wrong but I dont think its right to punish him for just that. She is capable of making the right decision wether or not he had any part of influencing that decision its her choice.

If he DID rape her he should be punished, but I think it needs to be proven first.

I think the person most victimized here is OZ. He not only has to deal with his wifes infidelty and possibly rape, but he has to face it everyday if he chooses to forgive his wife due to her now deformity on her face. I think he will be glad to know of Xanders banishment though.

I personally think that the council should not have envolved themselves in the personal affairs of these people. Only if the personal affairs would have endagered other citizens (Children or others) should the council have gotten envolved they did not. I believe in the seperation of Church and State and ultimately the punishments were due to infidelty which in most cases has everything to do with MORALS and not with law. So with that said, I feel the council stuck their nose in where it didnt blong.

 

[definition of insane]

First name or BB name: DoI
Age: 24
Where you were born: Canberra, Australia
Present Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Race: Thai
Occupation: Office Manager
Gender: Female
Religious affiliation: Not-quite practicing buddhist
Political affiliation: Liberal (as opposed to conservative...because it gets kinda complicated to taking about the Australian political system because the Australian Liberal Party is actually conservative....I think....anyhow...I voted Labor)
Education level (High school, some college, etc.): Bachelor degree
Anything else you feel may be pertinent to influencing your beliefs: I feel that you should never make judgements too rashly and to consider what outcomes your actions will have.

I'm not sure about this justice thing. Should people be sticking their noses into other people's business, even if it for the good of the community? Is it such a small community that the indescrections of some would have massive implications for the whole if they would have just left them alone?

Having been given what appears to be the whole story and yet seeing that the council was only given part of the story I would say no, justice hasn't been served. But the thing I don't really get is how justice is a factor in this whole scenario. There was no real trial. The punishments did not seem to suit the actions and in saying that all will be right with the world that revolves around the community when in essence they have ruined the lives of 3 people in the name of keeping the peace, without even taking into account that now Oz will probably feel like he'll never get retribution, Willow will have to live the physical memory of an incident that would have already most likely caused her emotional grief and Xander could possibly either die or get a second chance at life, depending on his luck.

 

[randiann]

Just want to clarify a few things, thanks for everyone's imput so far I really appreciate it!

Is it such a small community that the indescrections of some would have massive implications for the whole if they would have just left them alone?

Yes it really is. You have to think, this is not modern day America or Europe. This is a close knit community where the actions of one can affect the well being of others. If Xander and Willow were simply left alone and not punished for their actions (which were a crime in their community) then this could have serious consequences when Oz found out that his wife had cheated on him. He would have probably gone and either beat up or killed Xander. Xander's family would have to retaliate for that indiscretion and go harm Oz. Oz's family steps in too, and before you know it the entire villiage is fighting with each other and while they are doing so their enemies from outside the villiage could sneak up on them and kill them all.

This is a different society as well. Adultury is a crime, and people do not necessarily have the right to a trial by jury and a long overdrawn process like today. Justice is doled out by the council (who had the whole story as both Willow and Xander told them what they did). The council is composed of the villiage elders who have seen what can happen if they simply ignore problems like this. It has to be delt with swiftly. That is their way of life.

Willow was not raped. She was drunk, but also knew better than to invite a man into her house and drink with him while her husband is away. She knew what she was doing as well, even if she did not plan on going all the way with Xander, she knew it was a possibility when she invited him in that night.

Hope this clarifies. I only have a few more days before this is due so if anyone else wants to chime in I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks!!!