Hang 'em High??????

This is something we have gotten away from in the US is the use of public punishment for convicted wrongs in the criminal justice system. Public hangings were part of criminal justice system as well as a lot other non-lethal punishments designed to deter wrong doing. The Middle East has not given up as well as many other countries in Asia, Africa and even with in South and Central America. Even parts of Eastern Europe use public punishment.
Public punishment is part of the criminal justice system in many, many nations around the world. Much of the rest of the world doesn't see this as entertainment but an extension of the justice system. While the execution of Saddam may be released on a world wide scale it was the justice system of Iraq which carried out the trial and the execution. I personally don't want to see it but I certainly understand the reason it was released and that there would be those who will exploit it as well.
However, the US is likely to return to a public execution system and legislation has been put forth to have executions broadcast on pay per view to off set the millions of dollars it costs to execute someone in the US criminal justice system.
It doesn't seem like there is a lack of people who would say that the death penalty is wrong and should be banned as a form of punishment. So why sweep it to the background if a society is going to uphold the death penalty as a form of punishment then it should be done in full light of public eye rather than hidden in dark corners.
My opinion on it is very mixed
Spiritually I see it as a waste, no matter how much pain you inflict on a criminal it will not erase their deeds. Better to put that person to some use in society and extract public good from them. This is my problem with the US correctional system we lock people away and the fester and rot within a micro-social structure associating with people who are as negative about the social structure. Then as a society we wonder why we fail to rehabilitate persons.
As a father, if anyone harmed my children I would want to see that person suffer, but I know no matter what it doesn't change the harm. I've lived with the loss of a family member from murder. The person sawed my aunts’ head off with a kitchen knife. Would the death of this person change that? No, would it make me feel better. Not really it would only mean that person was dead as well. So even to feed my own sense of vengeance it falls short. I prefer to remember my aunt for who she was rather than how she died.
Still there is an underlying gut feeling that anyone who takes the life of another person through the act of murder forfeits their life. However, I don't know that they should be executed.
Politically I think that if we are going to uphold capital punishment as a part of justice system it needs to be out in the public eye. If we are ashamed of it in any manner, then that begs the question why do it at all.
Punishment should serve to better society rather than extract revenge. To quote Gandhi, "an eye for eye makes the whole world go blind" Our laws are written to better society our corrections system should do the same thing. .
Ciao,