TENNESSEE, USA — Otis Sanford reporting:
I have thought for some time that Tennessee legislators could not possibly get any more draconian, offensive and out of touch, but House member Paul Sherrell has proven me wrong.
The Republican from Sparta, a town of 5,000 residents in Tennessee's bluegrass country, made the outlandish suggestion this week of adding hanging by a tree as a form of capital punishment.
The comment came during a meeting of the House Criminal Justice Committee to discuss allowing death by firing squad. Sherrell called that proposal a very good idea, then proposed adding an amendment to include hanging by a tree for death row inmates.
The next day, Sherrell issued a statement through the House Republican caucus, in which he called his comments "exaggerated" and "an example of very poor judgment."
You think?
He said he was only trying to speak up for families of capital murder victims, and he apologized to anyone who may have been hurt or offended.
How weak is that?
Sherrell will be 64 later this month. That means he's been around long enough to know the horrible acts of hanging and lynching that were prevalent for decades throughout the south, including Tennessee.
For him to suggest that as a form of capital punishment is not just poor judgment — it disqualifies him as a credible legislator.
It must be condemned by Republican leaders, but I won't hold my breath.
I'm Otis Sanford, and that's my point of view.