Cruel and Unusual Punishment?

Isn't the a death sentence, by it's very nature, cruel AND unusual???

Being semi-serious here. Possibly also semi-sweet, but why I taste like Hershey's chocolate is none of your business.

To stay on topic, how "usual" is it for someone to die by sitting in a chair full of electricity? How often are people across the United States gassing themselves to death that we can consider that a "usual" way of dying? If you wanted a usual way to die, why not have convicted murderers continually run back and forth through highway traffic until they get clipped? Or maybe we could just serve them McDonald's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner until they die like that idiot in "Super Size Me" almost did.

And as for cruelty, how is being killed NOT cruel? These aren't exactly mercy killings here. These convicted criminals are basically being killed off because society deems that they've committed an act so heinous that they are no longer worth anything... to anyone... to even be allowed to live. Considering a death sentence implies a captial offense violator is more worthless than a country music singer, you can see just how cruel it really is.

Now on the flipside, if the CURRENT death penalty methods (lethal injection, electric chair, and gas chamber) are NOT cruel or unusual, why not bring out some TRULY effective methods of death? Think about it. Lethal injection is basically what we do to our pets when they get sick, old, or injured badly. Such a death is almost too nice because how exactly is this supposed to deter OTHER criminals from committing similar acts? Sure... the death penalty stops ONE criminal from ever committing murder again. But is it really so horrible of a punishment that other criminals will think twice? Doubtful. The current penalties just don't seem "dramatic" enough. Right? See where I'm going... err, typing with this?

The methods we have now don't make enough of a statement. So why not... bring back... some of the good, old fashioned methods of execution? Like the stake!

Sure, burning people at the stake got out of hand during the witch trial hysteria of the early colonial period and back during the persecutions of Jews and Christians by the Romans. But hey, now such execution would only be used on convicted murderers. And if murderers are worthy of being put to death (in certain states), then why pussyfoot around and kill them in such "painless" ways? Ok, now I'll give ya this much... the chair has gotta be painful for a few instances before the brain goes outta comission. But burning at a stake??? Now THAT'S fucking painful. Better yet, it's fuckin' wicked hot, as a modern New Englander might say inbetween bouts of drinking and yelling obscenities at New Yorkers.

Now with modern tech, we wouldn't necessarily need a bonfire to do this. Maybe just an incineration chamber with a post in the center to tie the murderer to. But geez, that's a deterrent, right?

Cause the way I see it, it's easier for people look past death and still do heinous crimes. But to look past a PAINFUL death?

And that's just the tip of this crazy iceberg we call "execution", my babies. Remember this classic hit from the Dark Ages up through the 18th century: "Drawn and Quartered". Who even thought of this one? What was the process... the stream of ideas that passed through the minds of the men who came up with the drawing and quartering process? My guess is that a few Dark Ages British guys just got drunk one night and started to one-up each other on who could come up with the sickest execution idea.

Lindroy: B'fore he gets 'ung up by his froat, I'd 'ave him drug by a horse! FULL SPEED! (sips on some potato-based liquor with twigs floating in it)

Henrich: Oy! Y'think that's a sorry state, huh? (laughs) When he gits dere, I'd have him 'ung, but juss for a bit.

Lindroy: I say, bit?

Hendrich: Aye, are ya daft!? JUST A BIT! Then we'd cut him down... and... and... (drinks some more) cuts off his privy members!

Lindroy: Oooooooo! (slams his glass down) I'd take those bits an' pieces... AN' BURN 'EM BEFORE HIS FACE!

Hendrich: You sod!

Lindroy: Call me a sod now? What'll y'think whens I says I'd then cut him in fours like a morning loaf?

Hendrich: I'd say boil those four pieces and put them on display at the town gate!

Lindroy: Oh my lord, really? Because frankly that's quite sick. (gets up to leave) Good day to you, Hendrich.

Henrich: Oh, come now Li-

Lindroy: I said GOOD DAY TO YOU SIR!