Friday, March 24: Reviving the Death Penalty
Why waste precious resources murdering those deemed criminal?
Are we sure it’s such a great idea to let lawmakers decide who lives and who dies? The death penalty has long been a legislative hot topic, but recently the conversation has taken a turn for the worse.
Earlier this week, Idaho lawmakers approved a bill that would allow execution by firing squad. The bill stipulates that firing squads would be used only if the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections. Several states have struggled in the past to source the drugs required for lethal injection, as pharmaceutical companies grow increasingly reluctant to provide them. This has caused some states to pause executions and led to lawsuits from inmates who argue that these injections are inhumane. Based on the countless stories of lethal injections going awry, it’s hard to argue that it’s not a violation of the 8th amendment (cruel & unusual punishment).
Meanwhile, elsewhere this week, a Tennessee state representative suggested adding ‘hanging by tree’ as a method of execution during discussions in Nashville about a bill concerning capital punishment. The repugnant idea was suggested as a cheaper, quicker alternative to the current process of trying to find the materials needed for lethal injections. Of course Tennessee, like much of the American South, has a long and traumatic history with hangings and particularly lynchings, which frequently took place publicly and without due process for the victim. Tennessee had at least 236 documented lynchings between 1877 and 1950, although there were almost definitely many more unreported cases, according to the Equal Justice Initiative.
The question we should be trying to answer is not what the cheapest method of state-sanctioned murder is. We should really be asking ourselves why we would ever trust smooth-brained politicians to make determinations of how to kill those found guilty of heinous crimes.
Side Items
TikTok Show Trial: We’re constantly reminded that the people running this country don’t have the slightest idea how the internet works. Lawmakers interrogated the chief executive of Tik Tok yesterday, asking such questions as, “does Tik Tok access WiFi networks?” and “Is Tik Tok part of the Chinese Communist Party?” These are deeply unserious people and they deserve to be treated with scorn at every opportunity. The stupidity on display is painful
Sensitive Thugs Need Hugs: Afroman, the rapper known for his comedic songs about drug usage, is being sued by seven law enforcement officers, who accuse him of improperly using footage from a police raid on his Ohio home last year. The sensitive piglets claim the rapper, whose real name is Joseph Foreman, took footage of their faces during an August 2022 raid and used it in music videos and social media posts without their consent. They say these videos have caused them “emotional distress, embarrassment, ridicule, loss of reputation and humiliation”, a pretty hilarious accusation considering they raided the rapper’s house looking for nonexistent drugs
Today’s Absurd Headline: DJ Khaled is apparently due to speak at Saudi ruler/bloodthirsty bonesaw enthusaist MBS's personal think tank next week in Miami. The topics DJ Khaled will address are listed as: "What does it mean to create a legacy of leadership and impact? How can leaders demonstrate the power of collaboration across backgrounds and ages?" I’m picturing him waddling to the stage and shouting some iteration of “WE THE BEST, THEY AIN’T BELIEVE IN US.”