Peter, my point about balance was that I had heard British voices in favour of release, plus one or two against, but the American voices were all against. I think when I posted I had conflated two women. Ms Bernstein did not base her argument on being Jewish. I think I heard someone called Cohen who did. After all the discussion here about Fox News finding the few Canadians against a national health service, I wondered if the BBC had somehow failed to find existing Americans who were not so vehement.

I'm glad that someone has mentioned that compassion is Judeo-Christian, not just Christian. I was thinking that, although churches have not always based teaching or behaviour on it, Jesus' forgiving of his tormentors did not demand compassion to be shown by them, nor repentance, before forgiveness was granted. And he was basing his teaching and behaviour on the teaching of the prophets, especially Hosea.

I have also been thinking about this. Written at a time when compassion did not often temper justice, or what was seen as justice at the time. Justice does seem to be a variable according to time and place.

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute of God himself;

And earthly power doth then show like God's
When mercy seasons justice.

Penny