1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

The proposal to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan by firing squad should alarm every American who believes in democracy, human rights, and the dignity of human life. A public execution broadcast for mass consumption would put the United States in the company of countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, and North Korea, where state executions have been used as public spectacles. Is this really the company America wants to keep? Is this what American leadership is supposed to look like? The government has the power to punish. That does not mean it should turn death into entertainment. A state that deliberately broadcasts an execution risks normalizing violence, degrading human dignity, and sending a message that cruelty is something to be watched rather than questioned. Democracy is not simply the power of the state to do whatever the law permits. It is also a commitment to restraint, accountability, human rights, and the principle that human dignity does not disappear when someone is convicted of a terrible crime. The United States cannot credibly claim to champion human rights around the world while turning an execution into a public spectacle. The legitimacy of a democracy is measured not only by how it treats the innocent, but also by the limits it places on its own power when dealing with the guilty. This is not about excusing a crime or denying justice to its victims. It is about recognizing that justice and public vengeance are not the same thing. Do not turn an execution into entertainment.