Military livestream of Fort Hood shooter's firing squad execution highlights systemic spectacle of state violence and racialized justice

The U.S. military’s last execution occurred in 1961, and its last firing squad use dates to World War II, showing that such punishments are rare and typically emerge during periods of heightened national security anxiety. The current livestream revives an archaic form of state violence under the guise of modern transparency, echoing historical uses of public executions to deter dissent and reinforce authority. This pattern indicates that the spectacle is less about justice and more about projecting power in moments of perceived threat.