YouTube video by Jesse Welles

Defense Secretary Hegseth's announcement of a livestreamed execution elicited reactions of disgust and condemnation from some faith leaders and politicians. But within his church, it's not an outlier.

https://idiocracy23.blogspot.com/2022/08/1001-ways-to-make-america-great-and.html “An emotional roller coaster. Soon to be a cult classic. A...

Co-founders of Palantir and defense tech firm Anduril are defending "public and brutal" executions.

https://idiocracy23.blogspot.com/2022/08/1001-ways-to-make-america-great-and.html “An emotional roller coaster. Soon to be a cult classic. A...

The article discusses the US government's announcement of a livestreamed public execution of Major Nidal Hasan, the Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009. This would be the first public execution in the US in nearly a century. The author, Tim Dean, argues that public executions represent a dangerous shift away from liberal democratic values, signaling the state's willingness to use violence as a tool of intimidation rather than a last resort. The piece draws historical parallels to public executions in Imperial Rome, fascist regimes, and modern authoritarian states like Afghanistan and Iran. Dean highlights how public executions have historically targeted marginalized groups, particularly Black men in the US, and notes the current administration's emphasis on Hasan's Islamic faith as part of the narrative. The article also examines the psychological impact on spectators, referencing historical accounts of crowds treating executions as entertainment, and argues that such practices corrupt both the state and the public. The author concludes that this move reflects America's growing illiberalism, moving away from the liberal state's core principle of maintaining a monopoly on violence. The piece is published by Crikey, an Australian news outlet, which notes that Australian political parties have condemned the decision as 'barbaric' and that the eSafety Commission cannot block the broadcast in Australia. The article is part of Crikey's analysis of American politics and society, with the author being a philosopher and ethics expert.