Nidal Malik Hasan Should Be Executed But Not in Front of The Whole World

Make no mistake. Nidal Malik Hasan should be executed.

After all a military jury sentenced Hasan to death in August 2013 for the killing of 12 fellow soldiers and a civilian while wounding more than 30 people at Fort Hood in November 2009.

Not only was it an act of terrorism, but it was also a crime against the United States. In other words, it was an act of treason as Hasan was inspired by American born al-Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki and was in communication with him in the months leading up to the attack.

However, I do not believe that Hasan should be executed for the whole world to see as the Pentagon plans to livestream the execution scheduled for December 3rd at the behest of Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense (or Secretary of War as he prefers).

Attendance at Hasan's executions should be confined to military prison officials, members of his family, members of his victims' families and a few media representatives. That's it. No one else needs to see his execution. This is not a spectator sport.

If this proceeds it will be the first public execution in the United States in nearly 90 years. Very few countries conduct public executions namely Iran, Afghanistan and Yemen. Oh yes, Hamas conducts public executions in Gaza. 

What good can come of livestreaming Hasan's execution? If this comes to pass it won't be the last public execution that we see in this country. If public executions are conducted by the U.S. military, then civilian execution at the federal and state level will surely follow. Could you imagine Christa Pike's botched execution being livestreamed?

I also believe the spectacle of public executions runs the risk of bringing back public lynchings. The next time MAGA doesn't get its way in an election, perhaps they will execute a police officer. Or perhaps on the next anniversary of the October 7th attacks, masked Hamas supporters will kidnap a Jew off the street and then stage an execution with anti-Semitic pogroms to follow.

The one consequence I don't think Hegseth, the Pentagon and the Trump Administration intend is that the return of public execution will spur public opposition to the death penalty. Although support for the death penalty has been slipping over the past 25 years, a majority of Americans still favor capital punishment. The spectacle of public executions in a supposedly civilized society will swiftly evaporate that majority.

By all means, carry out the Nidal Malik Hasan's execution. Justice will be served.

Broadcasting or livestreaming his execution (or anyone else's) does not serve justice. It only serves bloodlust, revenge, sadism and perhaps the greed to make money off it.