One punch issue – comparative essay

The recent focus on ‘one punch incidents’ in response to deaths on the streets of major cities, has prompted new laws controlling the behaviour of young revellers. Some commentators argue that the harsher penalties devised for these kinds of assaults, as well as the new lock out laws – was the only solution to the problem that threatens the reputation of Australian culture. Other more defensive voices suggest that the new lock out laws and police crackdowns are a misguided interpretation of the real issue at hand - and suggests the new system punishes not only the morally corrupt thugs on the streets, but rather the entire community drinking and socialising responsibly. The media has responded to this newly arisen debate with a variety of articles and opinions, some simply blaming the offenders themselves, while others attempt to appeal to the more conservative values bemoaning declining standards in public behaviour. b Mark Knight in his cartoon (Herald Sun, 11/01/2016) argues that the violence on our streets is the fault of an unintelligent and uncivilized few, not the fault of the majority of young people who enjoy a drink while out socializing. Using a mocking tone and appealing to both fear and reason, Knight positions readers to recognize that the response to alcohol fuelled violence must target the perpetrators, not punish the wider community.
The cartoon is dominated by the stereotypical image of a drunken thug. He is clearly aggressive and intimidating with his fists raised ready to attack. This mocks those people in the community who tend to look for fights when intoxicated. The thug’s distorted face supports this attack because it suggests he is unintelligent and uncivilized. The thug’s gaze is directed at the viewer which invites the audience to see themselves as belonging to a different group, comprising people