I’ve now read several articles condemning Hegseth’s statement that the planned execution of the Fort Hood attacker will be publicly streamed. Arguments against included psychology (it’s revenge), politics (terrorists are not deterred), history (racism, lynchings in America) and ethics.
I say nonsense.
No, it does not mean that I suddenly became a fan of the barbaric practice of calling the killing of a human being, however wretched and evil, a form of “justice”. What I do mean is that the arguments listed are really arguments against executions in general, not arguments against making the event a public spectacle.
And you know what… if your proud society feels entitled to terminate a human life, damn it, make it public! Face the reality of what you are doing! In fact, make sure it’s livestreamed in all schools, shown on big screens in public places! I mean after all, you should not be ashamed of administering “justice”, right?
Illustration by DALL-E
I, for one, am glad to live in a country that has not executed a single person since before I was born, removed the death penalty from the criminal code half a century ago, and from the National Defence Act in 1998.