March 1, 2013

"Rather than showcasing rule of law, the program displayed state control over human life in a manner designed to attract gawkers."

"State-administered violence is no loftier than criminal violence."

NYT article about the reaction to a Chinese TV show covering the death penalty (by lethal injection) for some men convicted of murder.
Some critics said the broadcast, and the subsequent public gloating, displayed an ugly side of China and would hurt its image abroad. To Murong Xuecun, a well-known Chinese author, the program revealed a national psyche, fed by decades of Communist Party propaganda, that craves vengeance for the years of humiliation by foreigners. “It proves that hatred-education still has a market in China,” he said in an interview.

In a commentary posted on Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, CCTV defended the program, saying it demonstrated China’s commitment to justice. “There were no glimpses of the execution. We only saw the drug ringleaders’ weaknesses and fear of death,” it said. “In contrast to brutal murder by his gang, the methodical court trial and humane injections have shown the dignity and civilizing effects of rule of law.”

32 comments:

bagoh20 said...

The Chinese continue to evolve, while we devolve.

robinintn said...

I guess we can be glad Kathleen Sebelius isn't requiring churches to televise the abortions she's forcing them to finance.

edutcher said...

Watch "True Grit" or the pilot episode of "The Virginian".

They did it right back then.

Vendors sold popcorn and people would ask each other, "Enjoy the hangin'?".

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

The problem with a Chinese execution is an hour later you're craving vengeance again.

Anonymous said...

The reason this won't backfire is that the ChiComs won't even think about apologizing for taking "manly justice" into their own hands.

The men who run the country believing in running China for Chinese culture, and that includes executing people they think hurt it.

Men who run manly worlds understand that this needs to be done for societies and don't apologize for it.

Womanish weak men cow down and apologize. And get kicked for it.

No nonsense masculinity on display here--- and masculinity won't apologize.

The diversity fags at the NYT's won't hurt their self-esteem or position one bit.

Hagar said...

I think death by hanging had more dignity to it than any of these more "humane" methods.

Patrick said...

The problem with a Chinese execution is an hour later you're craving vengeance again.

Laugh of the day.

William said...

I knew a Chinese woman who grew up during the Cultural Revolution. Her father was a factory manager. He had to stand outside the gates of the factory with a dunce cap. As the workers filed in, they spat on him. She was made to watch this. She was a little girl at the time.

Dante said...

Hey, I'm all for public executions. I was horrified by the gas chamber when I was a kid.

Watch some bad-ass get himself hung in the public square, it has to be a good incentive to think twice.

Hey, for those opposed to the death penalty, I would be all in favor of actors playing the role, so long as they do a good job, and there are no leaks that it's faked.

Dante said...

I knew a Chinese woman who grew up during the Cultural Revolution. Her father was a factory manager. He had to stand outside the gates of the factory with a dunce cap. As the workers filed in, they spat on him. She was made to watch this. She was a little girl at the time.

So what?

In San Francisco, CA, I and a few other whities were bused to an all black school. The blacks hated us 3 whites.

I was tiny (average now, but 3rd smallest of 150 in my 8th grade graduating class), but the blacks took my much larger friend into the boy's bathroom and beat the crap out of him. Because he was white. The leader of us three whities did not help, despite the guy's cries for help.

The SF judge who decided to desegregate the schools decided to exclude Saint Francis Woods, where his grand-daughter went to school.

Calypso Facto said...

The problem with a Chinese execution is an hour later you're craving vengeance again.

+1

bagoh20 said...

I think firing squad has always been the best method. It's quick, painless, cheap, effective, and portable. Apparently the requirements have changed.

sakredkow said...

"Let's do it!"

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Just had two ex-students arrested for the murder of their drug dealer. Stole his shit, his money and then alledgedly executed him. I say bring back public hanging. Then I'll take my inner city Civic students on a picnic field trip to see what the wages of sin result in. On my classroom wall as I type is a bulletin board labeled "The Great Wall of Shame". On it are all the mass murderers (you read that right), regular murderers, baby killers, wife killers, father rapers (yes you read that right too), baby rapers, regular rapers, thiefs, assault and batterers (aggravated or not), and all sundry other of my ex-students who have chosen the path of darkness. After 35 years I have quite a laminated collection on my wall. My students find it fascinating and instructive. I left out the kid that shot up our crowded classrooms back in the early 90's as he was a juvenile and there were no newspaper photographs for lamination...

Basta! said...

"I think death by hanging had more dignity to it than any of these more "humane" methods."

More dignified in what way? I understand that someone being hung defecates and also, if a man, gets an erection. Plus, if the noose isn't placed just right, you wind up being slowly strangled to death as you're jerking around up there, as opposed to having your neck cleanly snapped.

But perhaps you're thinking of something like the dignity (or solemnity) of the ritual, from the audience's point of view?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

bagoh20 said...
I think firing squad has always been the best method. It's quick, painless, cheap, effective, and portable. Apparently the requirements have changed.



For political crimes, the Chicoms used to be more efficient

One kneeling prisoner
One Pistol shot behind the ear
One invoice to the family with a 7 cent charge for the round

tim maguire said...

Regardless of how you feel about executions, there are good reasons for you to support doing them publicly. The only reason I can think of for opposing public executions is if you are ashamed of your support for it.

But that's the case generally--people who have taken a position after careful reflection behave much differently than people who embrace ideas carelessly.

sakredkow said...

CP is good for people who are personally offended by the murderers.

I'm not so I'm okay with the logic of LIPWP.

But I know many people have strong "feelings" about killing the murderers whenever we can.

Known Unknown said...

Has anyone asked Tom Friedman what he thinks?

sakredkow said...

Or David Brooks?

Thorley Winston said...

Regardless of how you feel about executions, there are good reasons for you to support doing them publicly. The only reason I can think of for opposing public executions is if you are ashamed of your support for it.

How about because I’ve seen what live television broadcasts did to the OJ trial and Senate confirmation hearings and would prefer that executions not be turned into similar public spectacles?

traditionalguy said...

China has copied our old puritan ethic in capitalism that keeps the fruit of individual's labor, and our Christian God that respects men and blesses them for their work.

The death penalty is only a way to honor the men who do not murder others.

sakredkow said...

The death penalty is only a way to honor the men who do not murder others.

Thanks, I don't need to be honored, surely not that way. I need to be left alone.

sakredkow said...

The death penalty is only a way to honor the men who do not murder others.

Honor killings. They're so en vogue these days.

Revenant said...

"State-administered violence is no loftier than criminal violence."

Oddly enough, the same newspaper that printed that statement endorsed laws granting police special rights to firearm usage.

Revenant said...

The only reason I can think of for opposing public executions is if you are ashamed of your support for it.

I'm opposed to the death penalty for the simple reason that I don't trust the government to honestly determine who is guilty of a crime.

That being said -- if the above is "the only reason" you can think of, you haven't put any serious thought into this.

n.n said...

It's designed and intended to leave a lasting impression. That is the only way a minority interest is capable of controlling a majority.

Nini said...

Much of China is still in the totalitarian/communistic mindset.

I was talking to a Chinese on a student visa here in Australia. When I mentioned to her a specific rule in our Industrial law and apologized because I said China’s might be different, she agreed that the laws in China are bad.

Methadras said...

When it comes to the death penalty, the Chinese are not pussies. Unlock the balless, sandy vaginas attached to some men in this one.

Achilles said...

1. I agree with Rev. The government fails at nearly everything it tries to do and shouldn't be trusted with this power.

2. If you support government administered capital punishment then make it public and transparent. And that goes for the results of any drone strike on an American citizen. Public and transparent. If a prosecutor/judge or president assumes this kind of power they better be ready to accept responsibility.