Cast your vote now in our latest poll. Should a flogging be carried out indoors or outdoors? Please feel free to post the reasons for your vote in the comments section of this post!
Shirtless men exposing their backs to the extreme sport and challenge of flogging. Discussions about the history and use of whips, straps, belts, quirts, cat o'nine tails on the bare backs of men--and the bravery and endurance of men who take and inflict the lash. Flogging is a brutal but necessary form of discipline that every man can appreciate.
This is part of the more general question: should a whipping be administered in private or in public? For maximum effect, of course, it should be public, and in today's environment it can and should be available on video. Gang leaders would have a hard time keeping their positions after members have seen them pleading for mercy and wetting their pants. Perhaps a split screen showing (1) the prisoner's face, (2) the effect on his back, (3) a full body shot showing him writhing and squirming.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, if the gang leader is able to take the whipping without crying out, that would enhance his position, and that might be counterproductive from the deterrence standpoint.
ReplyDeleteAs long as the whipping is available on video, there is no reason to hold it outdoors.
ReplyDeleteOne compromise between public and private administration of whipping is to invite reporters. This used to be a common practice (late 19th, early 20th century) and there are quite a few newspaper accounts of judicial floggings. These give remarkably vivid and detailed descriptions of how the man was seized up, what his reactions were (usually screaming and groaning), and the condition of his bare back at various stages of the proceedings. Here are three hair-raising examples from New Zealand:
ReplyDeletehttp://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NEM18770216.2.15
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=WCT18840206.2.10
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=CL18840229.2.38
Those are GREAT articles, Brendan. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I prefer an outdoor flogging, in our back yard. Unfortunately, the last time I was given the bullwhip or the cat was some time ago: I've been in the hospital (arrhythmia of the heart; received a pace maker just two weeks ago; for the time being, no jogging, no surfing, no flogging).
ReplyDeleteI really hope to be back on track at the end of this year; can't wait for a solid flogging, it used to be a wonderful routine, twice a week, full-strength, no-mercy, what a treat, what a great part of out training regimen, and when delivered outdoors it's a perfect experience, we'd recommend it to everyone who wants to go thru with it.
Lukas
Luke, You obviously think like me "Pain makes U a man & toughens U". I'm interested in where it fits in with your training regimen - before a workout or after - B4 running or after? I workout, run & swim most days but only do a whipping, flogging or tawsing once/twice a month. It would be good to exchange ideas? Paul
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