Justice Stevens then pressed Mr. Englert to justify the state’s use of the second drug, and Mr. Englert replied that it served to protect the inmate’s dignity. The justice was unpersuaded, remaining “terribly troubled,” he said, by the fact that the drug appeared “almost totally unnecessary” except to spare witnesses the “unpleasantness” of seeing the inmate twitch or grimace. --New York Times, January, 8, 2008
To put this in context, the BBC reported today or yesterday that the Iranians in one of their gawd-forsaken outer provinces lopped off the right hands and left feet of 3 or 4 armed robbers. No doubt they are continuing their monstrous lust at hanging people in public as well.
Beware the company you keep. Americans in their self-righteousness should not allow the gore of the Iranian approach to obscure for one moment that we continue to slaughter people judicially. At a furious pace, with Texas gleefully leading the parade. "76 trombones lead the ..."
I am opposed to capital punishment in all cases. That said, if you want it to be painless, it's gotta be the guillotine. Or a properly conducted hanging. Saddam obviously suffered less than any ole Southern white trash drifter who figgers to rob a liquor store in Texas and fall afoul of the Harris County DA so as to be suffocated alive while paralyzed.
This country seems to know no shame. "There is no painless requirement" in the Constitution, states the professional executionist Scalia. What about yer Catholic Church, Mr. anti-abortionist?
Disgusting.
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