"...media circuses are "exactly what we want" in executions."

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Are they?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 21 February 2004 16:47 (twenty-two years ago)

i think I'd prefer a proper circus with elephants and dancing bears.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 21 February 2004 16:50 (twenty-two years ago)

firing squads?!

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 21 February 2004 16:52 (twenty-two years ago)

"MODERN TIMES"

― ModJ (ModJ), Saturday, 21 February 2004 16:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I guess I can understand how painless, quiet killings by lethal injection aren't popular with pro-capital punishment people. It's a bit of an anti-climax, not really fulfilling the... ceremonial role of the vengeance aspect of execution.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 21 February 2004 16:57 (twenty-two years ago)

While lethal injection is still the, ahem, "capital punishment" of choice here, Washington state still allows hanging for those who specifically request it. Yes. HANGING.

― donut bitch (donut), Saturday, 21 February 2004 17:02 (twenty-two years ago)

That makes me think of the question in the guardian saturday bit, where they ask celebs various questions - "who is the love of your life" etc, and one of them is "how would you like to die?" how would you like to die? Obv, they all say s.th. like "in my sleep, at a ripe old age" or whatever, when the obvious answer to give would be:

1/ what choice are you offering?

2/ actually I wouldn't

3/ eaten alive by a giant carnivorous plant

The somewhat elongated point being, how the hell do they ask the condemmed a question like that? "We are going to kill you, how would you like us to do it? ('I wouldn't is not an acceptable answer)"

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Saturday, 21 February 2004 17:09 (twenty-two years ago)

condemned even.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Saturday, 21 February 2004 17:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh dear god, dear god dear god. I can think of many things to say about this but most eloquent thing I can say is that it simply makes me want to crawl into a hole and not come out for a month. How do you argue rationally with nuts like this? "Blaze of glory"? I feel a headache coming on. Too bad we live in the middle ages, otherwise I'd buy some aspirin.

― Sengai, Saturday, 21 February 2004 18:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm with you guys. This is ridiculous. I want those people killed in ways that are enjoyable to ME.

― dean! (deangulberry), Saturday, 21 February 2004 18:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I get the feeling Senator Thomas would favor public stonings.

― bnw (bnw), Saturday, 21 February 2004 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

This thread is begging for some Man v. Beast action.

― dean! (deangulberry), Saturday, 21 February 2004 19:08 (twenty-two years ago)

firing squads.

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 21 February 2004 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

This reminds me of a sort of drunken rant I got up to with a friend in Hull with a history PhD about bread and circuses and executions and the like, but i'm too drunk to dredge up the goery mediaeval details...

― The River Kate (kate), Saturday, 21 February 2004 21:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Serial killer Albert Fish (electrocuted 1934) apparently looked forward to his death in the electric chair, saying it would be the 'ultimate thrill'. What I find fascinating is the procedure for sending people from Newgate to be hanged at Tyburn. It seems to have been a leisurely progress with two stops for refreshments (the condemned included) in taverns along the way.

― David (David), Saturday, 21 February 2004 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Wait, are the elephants and dancing bears performing the executions or are they just there? Do they wear black hoods over their heads? Is the judge the ringmaster? Dastoor, expound.

― Allyzay, Sunday, 22 February 2004 06:13 (twenty-two years ago)

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