Guilty cop should be punished

A policeman in Linzhou, Henan province, is under investigation on suspicion of throwing a 7-month-old girl on the ground. The incident has outraged the public not only because the alleged perpetrator is a policeman, but also because police authorities tried to cover it up, says an article in Oriental Morning Post. Excerpts:

Judging from the surveillance video, the policeman, Guo Zengxi, indeed snatched the infant from her parents and threw her on the ground. Irrespective of whether a drunken brawl or an argument over parking a vehicle prompted Guo to get violent, the fact is, he did commit a crime by throwing a kid on the ground. What makes Guo's action more heinous is that he is a law enforcement officer, for which he deserves the strictest punishment.

Despite the severity of the incident, police authorities didn't file a criminal case against Guo as the law demands. Worse, they even tried to protect Guo in an interview with reporters.

The police authorities imposed a 15-day "confinement" on Guo for his action, which is a special punishment tailored for policemen. But many people think the "confinement" was a ploy to help Guo escape trial for his criminal action.

Had it not been for journalists' efforts to seek justice and the public outrage the authorities would not have reconsidered the case.

The action of a single policeman can ruin the reputation and credibility of an entire police force. But if a police force corrects its mistakes and helps the law take its course, citizens will have more faith in equality and justice.

End discrimination in jobs

A study conducted by Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, Hubei province, shows that women are indeed discriminated against in the job market. Although some people may not agree with the findings of the study, there is no denying that gender discrimination does exist in the job market. So instead of wasting time on debates, the authorities should take measures to eliminate gender discrimination, says an article in China Youth Daily. Excerpts:

Normally, people react to studies like the one conducted by Huazhong University of Science and Technology by feeling aggrieved or taking steps to change the situation. For example, since it is not easy to change society's opinion, individuals should change their views on what forces some people to go in for plastic surgery to look "presentable" and succeed in the job market.

By enhancing their "looks", job hunters expect to not only get better paying jobs, but also achieve greater success in the future. Although people who undergo plastic surgery have no guarantee that they will emulate the success of others, they unwittingly end up furthering the unhealthy demands of the job market.

Candidates should be making greater efforts and spending more time on honing their skills and gathering more knowledge to not only get a good job, but also succeed in their careers in the long run. In other words, "looks" should not be a criterion for the success of a person in a job. Rather, skill and knowledge should be the deciding factors of success.

(China Daily USA 08/22/2013 page12)