Dr. Joseph Mangele of Yale University, authority of Aztec culture and society, has written a book justifying capital punishment. He argues that when the state murders, in both societies, the ulterior motive is to maintain order and to sustain the power of elites.
"In Aztec society the sacrificial victims included disobedient slaves and certain types of criminals. In American society it is Blacks and Hispanics, who are disobedient and non-conformist, that are sacrificed to maintain 'law and order.'"
"There is some difference however. In the U.S., law enforcement commits instant capital punishment mostly on minorities with state approval since they are not punished. This kind of state murder is rare among Aztecs," states the Professor.
He argues that both the elite Aztec royalty and U.S. elites, such as governors like Rick Perry, are seen as people to be feared and respected by those who put a premium on "maintaining order for their way of life."
Yesterday, as part of his tour promoting his book, Dr. Mangele commented on botched capital punishment executions where lethal injections were used. Earlier this year, a convicted murderer and in Ohio, Dennis McGuire, gasped and convulsed in great for at least 15 minutes before dying from the drug cocktail used in his execution.
And Tuesday, in McAlester, Okla., writhing and moaning in agony during the early stages of his execution. It took some 45 minutes for him to die. People present at the execution called it torture.
Said Mengele of this, "The Aztec had many methods of state murder. But often it would be ripping the heart out of the victim the while it was still beating and offer it up to the sun. The death was very quick. It was not torture as practiced in the U.S."
The Harvard Professor then advocated that this method of execution be used in America on the basis that it would be more humane than lethal injection.
He concluded by saying, "I'm a law and order guy. I think both the Aztecs and the Americans have it right on capital punishment. All societies are governed by elites and we need them to control the unruly masses. State murder of disobedient Aztec slaves or troublemaking people of color in the U.S. promotes order in society."