Doug Henwood wrote:
> Perhaps the opening of Foucault's Discipline & Punish might inspire our
> retributionists.
Though I read Camus on the death penalty back in 1958 or 59, I didn't find out until I read Linebaugh in the NLR that Camus did not oppose capital punishment as such. I then remembered that about half way through Camus I said to myself, I agree with him, why in the hell should I subject myself to this. My response to Foucault is about the same. Those who don't agree with him, though, probably should read and reread it to toughen themselves up for the possible resumption of public executions.
I got as far as the note on the kindness of the priest. This takes me back to what I believe was No. 1 in my first post on this general thread, that the core objection to the death penalty is that it pollutes the public mind, that it is a crime (particularly in its formality) against the general public, regardless of what one thinks of the morality or decency of it.
Carrol