# Capital Punishment supporters, would you support public executions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 2, 2012, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858 "2012-06-02T11:46:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/21 "2012-06-03T04:02:19Z")
Yes but, apart from the execution officials, attendance would only be compulsory for the convicted. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/22 "2012-06-03T04:42:12Z")
Yes, I support public executions, because we should see what we are doing. But I don’t think I support public participation. Bringing observers into the actual killing is problematic, as it reinforces a sense of complicity, and this would make it harder to revisit questions about the executed honestly. Really, it’s about epistemology with me in the end, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/23 "2012-06-03T07:02:23Z")
> [@Makeitstop](#): > > I am for the death penalty, and for the public execution of said penalty, if it is done correctly. Not as a celebration, but as something that must be done. Public execution in France were stopped (I think during the 20s or 30s) precisely because they were becoming celebrations to a shocking extent (people bringing champagne and food, balconies overseeing the place of the execution being rented at high prices, cheers and applauses, food sellers, people bringing their children to the “show”, etc…) I doubt it would be much different nowadays, once people would become accustomed to the concept. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/24 "2012-06-03T07:25:24Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Public execution in France were stopped (I think during the 20s or 30s) precisely because they were becoming celebrations to a shocking extent (people bringing champagne and food, balconies overseeing the place of the execution being rented at high prices, cheers and applauses, food sellers, people bringing their children to the “show”, etc…). Why did the French deem that a problem? People have to eat, for instance, so why not bring your own food? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/25 "2012-06-04T00:13:37Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > So you’d ditch the 8th amendment? > > Why not? We’ve already done away with most of the Bill of Rights. :dubious::rolleyes: Let’s see here: 1. The FLDS, the snake-handling cult, 9-11 conspiracy theorists, OWS demonstrators all operate with little molestation unless they hurt other people 2. Gun rights are better than ever 3. I’m pretty sure no soldiers are in your house and the last time I checked there are none in mine 4. Slightest sign of violation? Sue, sue away! 5. See Miranda v. Arizona 6. The court system’s clogged up due to useless drug laws and defence team tactics 7. No complaints in this sector 8. Nobody’s been quartered for treason or had his hand cut off for theft 9./10. A bit vague, but largely being followed ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/26 "2012-06-04T00:33:33Z")
If I had to choose the manner of my execution, guillotine in a public square is **kewl!** Especially with a big drumroll! ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/27 "2012-06-04T02:05:03Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Those who are in favour of the death penalty, would you support it being in public and if so why or why not as well. Absolutely. IMNSHO, it would be much more effective, especially if it didn’t take 20 years to give someone the needle to begin with. In addition, a bullet to the back of the head would be much cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/28 "2012-06-04T02:45:57Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Judging from history however they _don’t_. Any logically, given human nature it _should_ be expected to increase violence, not decrease it; executions are after all a socially approved violent act. On a related note, I think anyone that eats meat should have to kill at least one of each animal they eat at some sort of regular interval. I started hinting and it didn’t change the amount of meat I ate but it changed how much meat I wasted. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/29 "2012-06-04T03:57:47Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I didn’t know you were a theonomist. 😛 But while this probably worked for a nomadic society like ancient Israel the problem with this is that somewhat whose indentured/enslaved/otherwise making up for his crimes for the victim can very easily turn on the victim. Similarly some violent criminals who haven’t commited a death penalty-worthy crime won’t change their ways after a whipping or a fine-they need to be restrained by prison or mental institution. > > As for me, I don’t care if public executions would be solemn displays of justice rather than some bizarre public celebration as was the case many times in the past. No smiley needed. I am a theonomist. I just believe the state should only enforce laws against people-offending crimes. One’s spiritual community can enforce laws against deity-offending crimes- of course, they can only impose covenental penalties such as arbitration & voluntary restitution under threat of degrees of disfellowshipping. For habitually violent criminals with no mental disorder, I think execution should be a possibility. To BigAppleBucky- for a punk kid who beat up an old lady for her Social Security check, I’d think a judicially-overseen beat-down by her sons would be far less cruel & unusual that being Felon Bruno’s boy-toy for a few years. ---
**Author:** ![Scholar\_Beardpig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Scholar\_Beardpig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scholar_Beardpig)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/30 "2012-06-04T04:00:10Z")
Personally, I think sunlight is the best disinfectant; the more that can be done out in the open, the better. I don’t believe in the death penalty, but if I did, I would support it being done publicly. Not in some kind of horrible, Octagon-style manic bloodsport, but in a dignified and stately way - as dignified and stately as something like that can be. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/31 "2012-06-04T06:30:13Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > I support the death penalty, but think we need to be very careful about how we use this most extreme penalty. Therefore, I believe we should have public executions. And I believe it should be a requirement that all potential jurors on a death penalty case watch at least a recording of an execution. If they are going to be entrusted with such a decision, they should be fully informed about the consequences. Any potential juror who feels after watching the execution video that “they couldn’t do that to anyone, no matter how guilty they are” should probably be **excused.** Am I the only one who read the bolded word as ‘executed’ originally? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/32 "2012-06-04T07:35:35Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > On a related note, I think anyone that eats meat should have to kill at least one of each animal they eat at some sort of regular interval. I started hinting and it didn’t change the amount of meat I ate but it changed how much meat I wasted. Personally, I want as little to do with food processing as possible, plant or animal; the more I learn, the less interested I become in eating anything at all. > [@Quartz](#): > > Why did the French deem that a problem? Because it exemplifies what the death penalty is actually about: bloodlust. Killing for the fun of it.\* And the more society does it, the more people see it, the worse they get. A problem that probably resonates especially strongly with a society that went through the mob-bloodbath of the Terror. \*Yes, that’s exactly what it is. That’s why supporters handwave away the problem of innocents being executed or whether or not it actually deters crime; they don’t actually care. They just want blood regardless of the consequences, innocent or guilty. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/33 "2012-06-04T12:57:44Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > So you’d ditch the 8th amendment? > > Why not? We’ve already done away with most of the Bill of Rights. I guess if you’re American that may apply. A lot of members aren’t- including the OP. Interesting question AK84. I would happily pull the lever/ turn the switch for some criminals (and I note that you don’t restrict this to murder) but I’m not sure I would support public execution. FTR I have no problem with capital punishment. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/34 "2012-06-05T13:32:34Z")
I am strongly opposed to capital punishment, at least as presently applied in the US. With that said, if we’re going to do it, it ought to be public. If society wants to take responsibility for ending life, society should be on hand to see it done. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/35 "2012-06-05T14:26:48Z")
I nominally support the death penalty - as in, there are a few choice individuals I think should be forcibly checked out of society - but this glee, this enthusiasm for public executions confuses me. If people think that’s going to be some sort of deterrent - in either the “I better not kill anybody lest I get executed on the TeeVee” sort, or the, “we’d better rethink the death penalty, now that we’ve seen the raw truth of it,” sort - then I think you’re delusional. Public executions would be turned into The Saturday Night Decapitation Hour brought to you by Doritos faster than you couls say, “Idiocracy.” ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/36 "2012-06-05T15:19:56Z")
I have a complicated feelings towards the death penalty (support it in theory against it in practice), but I am totally opposed to this idea, and quite shocked that I seem to be so much in the minority on this board. Given the media hype that surrounds everything else that goes on in our society I can’t imagine this being carried off with any dignity. Remember the OJ trial, it will be like that except even more so. Families of the victims and the condemned being hounded by reporters until they give just the right statement and emotions that will fit the narrative the media wants to portray. Teasers like those before a boxing match “On July 27 2012 Justice will be served! Boom Slam! only here on fox!” Following the execution I envision t-shirts and, bumper stickers depicting the execution with with a funny off color caption; Videos on youtube showing the execution played to a bugs bunny sound track. To those who think it will serve as a deterrent, anyone who is committing murder does so either because they aren’t thinking rationally about the consequences of their actions or they are assuming they won’t get caught. To those who are opposed to the death penalty and think that this will change peoples view of the death penalty if they actually see it. Fat chance. The only people who are going to watch are those with blood lust and revenge fantasies in their hearts, which will make them want even more, seeing revenge and violence as a solution to their problems. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/37 "2012-06-05T15:29:08Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > \*Yes, that’s exactly what it is. That’s why supporters handwave away the problem of innocents being executed or whether or not it actually deters crime; they don’t actually care. They just want blood regardless of the consequences, innocent or guilty. I think the death penalty should be used sparingly and in extreme cases, such as for monsters who are responsible for crimes like genocide or mass murders that shock one’s conscience. It is very interesting how you can peer into my thoughts through the Internet from thousands of miles away and determine that I am a bloodthirsty villain who cares nothing for the legal process. How did you acquire this skill? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/38 "2012-06-05T15:34:56Z")
Too bad Richard Dawson just died. We could do “Running Man” for real. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/39 "2012-06-05T16:35:03Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > It is very interesting how you can peer into my thoughts through the Internet from thousands of miles away and determine that I am a bloodthirsty villain who cares nothing for the legal process. How did you acquire this skill? There’s a Firefox script for it. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858/40 "2012-06-05T18:25:14Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > It is very interesting how you can peer into my thoughts through the Internet from thousands of miles away and determine that I am a bloodthirsty villain who cares nothing for the legal process. How did you acquire this skill? Its actually pretty easy. As far as Der Trihs is concerned pretty much everyone is a blood thirsty villain. Don’t take it personally.🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-punishment-supporters-would-you-support-public-executions/623858.md?page=3)