Yes. It goes way back. There is a story. I don't know if it's apocryphal or not, but I believe it's telling nevertheless. Robespierre was giving an interview to an American journalist. Abruptly, he got up, ran to the window, and saw an enraged mob flowing down the street. He turned to the journalist, saying, "I must stop this interview." When the journalist asked why, Robespierre exclaimed, "There go my people. I must lead them." I went to Berkeley. More often than not, of the protests I saw, the mass of people actually couldn't care less about the issue; the protest itself simply became a living thing, and the leaders of the protest were in the back, urging the mass on. I also lived in L.A., during some of the worst rioting in recent history (over the Rodney King decision). Most taking part, from what I actually witnessed, were simply thugs, taking the opportunity to rob stores blind.
The French thinks they are the most civilized people on earth but they were still chopping people's heads off until 1977! In 1972 there was a double guillotining when one person was beheaded 7 minutes after the other, just how barbaric can you get!
I hardly consider the guillotine barbaric, especially when used as a form of capital punishment. It's not like the French were chopping heads off slowly, viciously, and for no other reason than to kill a Christian or a Jew.
Several years later upon Lafayette's return to the US, (mainly because he was rarely welcome at home in France), the US government gave him around $200,000 in cash. I'm going on memory from College, but I would assume Wiki probably mentions it. In the end, all nations are pretty much responsible for America's independance and existence. We are after all, all from somewhere else, for the most part.
There is evidence that head may survive for some period after beheading. Imagine what this will be like. The thought of going to be beheaded is babaric torture in itself.
I guess you have to look at what the person who is being beheaded did to get there. Wonder what their victim/s felt like. I have no compassion when it comes to capital punishment.
I tried to interview the last guy who was put to death by lethal injection, to ask him what it felt like as he was dying, but he was, apparently, just a taciturn jerk. He wouldn't tell me a thing. *** Personally, I want my hands around the throat of any asshole who would destroy his own humanity by murdering a fellow human being. I want to end his life myself, and to take direct responsibility for doing so. Problem is, by doing so, I murder myself. I relinquish the right to move on certain instincts by agreeing to live in civilization. What I want, and what can be done as part of this construct called society, are often two different things. I hate and want all murderers, rapists, pedophiles and their ilk killed. And I oppose the death penalty.
A sentiment shared by many, I would think. Here in the UK, there is no death penalty so it is a hypothetical situation. I'm not sure if I am pro or against the death penalty. Perhaps if 100% certainty of guilt was the case and absolute uniformity of the application of the penalty, I would have little hesitation but history is littered with the punished innocent.
If your looking at the western anglo saxon driven world...there are very very few countries that still use the death penalty...I think that speaks for itself. Its certainly something that would never fly in Australia..no matter how much ranting you hear about murderers and rapists getting away with light sentances. The fear of executing the innocent, in a system which cant be trusted, is far too great to bring back the death penalty. You only have to see the PM's reaction to the death sentances handed out too certain members of the Bali 9 to tell he is 100% opposed to it....
By the way, I am French so if I can help to clear any misunderstanding, and indeed there are many on both sides. Hope that we can have a friendly discussion. However feel free to send your insults by PM if it helps you feeling better. And don't believe what you see on TV ! You know that. I heard that an US journalist told on TV that the current events in France were similar to Tien an men