Ought Quote by John Ehrlichman
“Well, I think we ought to let him hang there. Let him twist slowly, slowly in the wind.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: 1975 Washington Post, Washington D.C.
Deliberate suffering can be used as a punitive measure, but it raises moral concerns.
In simple terms: Punishment can be cruel.
Key Takeaway
Avoid cruel tactics.
Themes
ethics
power
punishment
politics
Mood
critical
serious
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- law enforcement
- political dissent
- corporate discipline
Key Concepts
authoritarianism
human rights
political strategy
Questions to Reflect On
- Is cruelty ever justified for political ends?
- What are humane alternatives to punishment?
A Different Perspective
Such tactics can backfire and erode legitimacy.
![“[T]he Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar Left, and black people. You understand what I'm saying? We knew we couldn't make it illegal to be either against the war or black. But by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and…” quote by John Ehrlichman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3ae/john-ehrlichman-73725_antiwar_t-he-nixon-campaign-in-1968-and-the-nixo_1977864.jpg)
