In an opinion column, culture critic Marina Collins argues that plans by the United States to broadcast the execution of convicted Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan drag the nation down to the level of oppressive authoritarian regimes.
The Bottom Line
- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced plans to publicly livestream the execution of Hasan via firing squad on December 3, at the Fort Hood military base.
- The column points out that if executed, the United States will join only four countries globally—Iran, Afghanistan, North Korea, and Somalia—that conduct public executions.
- The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from figures including Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley and Utah Republican Senator John Curtis, who warned against cultivating an appetite for executions as entertainment.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Advocates for a Public Firing Squad
According to the commentary, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated in an interview with far-right political activist Jack Posobiec that he wants the execution of Hasan to be available for public viewing. Hegseth justified the decision by calling the 2009 incident a radical Islamist attack, asserting that the convicted shooter deserves a firing squad of soldiers and that the public needs to understand the serious consequences of such actions.
The execution is scheduled to take place on December 3 at the same military base where Hasan opened fire on fellow soldiers preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32 during the 2009 attack. Prosecutors previously argued he was radicalized online and motivated by jihad duty.
Comparing U.S. Policy to Global Authoritarian Regimes
The commentary emphasizes that proceeding with a public, livestreamed execution would place the United States alongside nations universally criticized for human rights abuses. Iran conducts hangings in public squares using truck-mounted cranes, while the Taliban utilizes sports arenas for capital punishment. Additionally, Amnesty International has documented instances where North Korea forced residents, students, and workers to watch executions as a deterrent.
If the military execution is televised, it will mark the nation’s first government-sanctioned execution carried out in public since 1939. According to data cited from the Death Penalty Information Center, it would also represent the first U.S. military execution since 1961 and the first military death by firing squad, or “musketry,” since 1945.
Domestic Opposition and Broader Political Context
| Official / Critic | Stance / Statement | Source Context |
|---|---|---|
| Pete Hegseth | Advocated for a public firing squad livestream to serve as a deterrent. | Interview with Jack Posobiec |
| Paul Coakley | Stated that public executions undermine the moral fabric of the nation. | Archbishop Statement |
| John Curtis | Warned that a civilization erodes when it cultivates an appetite for executions as entertainment. | Posted via X |
The column places the announcement alongside recent domestic security incidents, noting that federal immigration agents have shot at least 21 people and killed seven since President Trump returned to office less than two years ago. The author highlights that Hasan’s planned public execution is being marketed as part of a broader tough-on-crime initiative.
Opposition to the livestream has crossed political lines. Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley condemned the plan in a statement, noting that executing individuals publicly acts as a blight on the nation’s conscience. Furthermore, Republican Senator John Curtis of Utah criticized the move on social media, arguing that a civilization erodes when it cultivates an appetite for executions as a form of entertainment.
The Shift from Lethal Injection to Musketry
Before the administration greenlit the firing squad, Army officials had prepared to utilize lethal injection if President Trump authorized the execution of one of the four prisoners on the service’s death row, as reported by ABC News. The shift toward a public firing squad coincided with news surrounding a botched lethal-injection execution in Tennessee involving Christa Pike, who survived two supposed lethal doses.
Hasan, who uses a wheelchair after sustaining partial paralysis from police gunfire during the initial 2009 response, faces a dramatic and televised end. The commentary notes that the decision strips away the guardrails of a civilized society under the guise of maintaining public safety.
