Like Eorthisio, I've become a proper sociopath.

Having said that, he clearly had it coming. How D.A.R.E. he give his parents such grief? Three years in prison for the mother? Are you kidding me? She should be paraded around the streets as a hero for upholding the one-child policy by making his sister the only child.

You know, that's probably why it's only three years. It's sending a clear message to parents: if you got two kids, by all means, kill one of them and you'll get a light sentence.

They'll probably get more money for the daughter than the son took away from them.

Things never heard in China.....

"Today's Sesame Street was brought to you by the word EMPATHY"

Its a big failing in this society. Really spoils things and devalues the place.

But of course its not seen that way.

Ikea gave more in aid to the Philippines after the recent typhoon than China did.

Swedish self assembly furniture company VS the worlds biggest economy and self proclaimed centre of the world......WIN!!!!

Just curious, but do you know the details of how they murdered him ? Seems to me it would be "logical" to kill ones offspring with poison. Im using the word "logical" very loosely here, obviously since murdering soemone isnt too logical now is it.

I ask this question because I seemed to remember watching those crime investigation shows in the states, and the manner of death can profile what type of murder it was. [example: stabbing someone numerous times is typically a passion/hate/estranged lover type of murder.]

It is a very icy view on things isn't it?

Because you spoiled your child, your child was too demanding and so you killed him...

So the murder is a result of the former action which is being spoiled. Therefore you will be sentenced to three years for spoiling the child but not murder.

Even writing this hurts my head... I may black out soon from using too much Chinese logic... oh god... here comes the migraines!

Without knowing anything at all about this situation other than your description, I actually (mostly) side with your wife on this one.

Everyone here goes through the same system. I'm not saying it's great or even good but most people don't feel the need to kill their own kid after he or she goes through it. There had to be something wrong there.

For parents to do that - and it can't have been easy, far from it - I think there had to be a reason other than he's just angry and doesn't respect his parents. Maybe he was being overly violent in public and at home, showing all the signs of being the next nutter to walk into a kindergarten with a knife and start kiling kids or something. Maybe they were scared for their own safety, and other people's, and just acted in what they felt was for the good of society and their community.

The fact that the mother was given a light sentence could be a reflection of how the community felt about the son and his anger issues, and how the parents handled the problem they caused through 'bad parenting', for the good of the village.