又中又英 | Firing squad | 褚簡寧

　　Would you choose to watch a livestreamed execution by a firing squad? I know I would not choose to watch something so morally abhorrent. A firing squad is a group of usually military people assigned to execute a prisoner sentenced to death by a court. Firing squads use rifles or other firearms. They shoot at the heart all at once to ensure the prisoner dies. One or more rifles contain blank bullets instead of real bullets so no one in the firing squad knows who fired the bullets that killed the prisoner. If something is morally abhorrent, it means it is deeply offensive or horrible.

　　The livestreamed execution by a firing squad of US Army Major Nidal Hasan at Fort Hood military base in Texas is scheduled to take place on December 3. Hasan, a Muslim, shot dead 13 unarmed soldiers and wounded 32 others at the base in 2009. A US military Court sentenced him to death after he failed in all his appeals. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who likes to swagger, said the execution would be livestreamed, the first US public execution since World War II. To swagger means to walk or behave arrogantly.

　　Media reports said Hasan, a military psychiatrist, was radicalized to oppose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was scheduled to be sent to Afghanistan. Vice President J.D. Vance has said he opposes the livestreamed execution. Many legislators from President Donald Trump's Republican Party also oppose it. So do Democrats. They say it would make America look like terrorist groups. Trump, who initially approved it, has now said he has not yet decided if he will allow livestreaming the execution.

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　　你可會去看行刑隊（firing squad）槍決的網上直播？我知道自己不會看這麼一件道德上令人厭惡（morally abhorrent）的事。A firing squad是被指派去槍決被法庭判處死刑的行刑隊，通常是受訓練的軍人。行刑隊（firing squads）會使用步槍或者其他槍械，同一時間向囚犯的心臟開槍，以確保犯人死亡。其中一支或多支步槍會裝上空包彈而非實彈，那麼行刑隊（firing squad）內就沒有人知道是誰的槍殺死囚犯。若某事是morally abhorrent，那即是它令人非常反感、深惡痛絕、作嘔。

　　美國直播行刑隊（firing squad）在德州胡德堡軍事基地槍決陸軍少校尼達爾．哈桑，已排期於12月3日進行。回教徒哈桑於2009年在基地槍殺13名沒有武器裝備的士兵，另外導致32人受傷。美國軍事法庭在他所有上訴失敗後判他死刑。國防部長皮特．赫格塞斯素來趾高氣揚（to swagger），說這自二戰以來美國首場公開處刑將會全程直播。To swagger是指一個人走路或舉止傲慢。

　　傳媒報道指，本身為軍隊精神科醫生的哈桑，偏激地反對在伊拉克和阿富汗的戰事。他原定被派駐阿富汗。副總統范斯已表明，反對直播處決。總統特朗普所屬的共和黨中，亦有許多議員同樣反對直播，民主黨人亦一樣。他們說這會令美國看起來像恐怖組織。本來批准直播的特朗普，現在則說他還未決定好是否容許處決直播。

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻