Monday, August 10, 2009

Coming Soon to Town Hall Near You?

11 comments:

Total said...

Tarring and feathering always looked really fun.

midnight rider said...

Depends on which side of the tar you are on.

Always On Watch said...

Didn't the Whiskey Rebellion expand federal power? I don't recall the exact details.

Pastorius said...

Doesn't tarring and feathering a person endanger their lives?

midnight rider said...

Yeah, usually. For the tar to be hot enough to stick and feathers stick to it youi are going to inflict some nasty burns on them. Then try to get the tar off.

In the John Adams miiseries early on there's a somewhat accurate tar and feathering scene. I've tried to find it on Youtube several times but so far no luck.

Pastorius said...

Don't know if this is accurate or not (it sounds like it is), but this is what Yahoo Answers says,


The other answers have stated correctly that to "tar and feather" someone used to mean literally tar and feather them. You'd pour tar all over their bodies and then roll them in feathers or dump feathers onto them. The victims were then dropped off in the middle of town or were actually paraded around town so that they could be seen by all. It was meant as a humiliating punishment, but it also had dire consequences with regard to pain and suffering.

While it wasn't directly fatal, it was indirectly fatal and debilitating. It was certainly more than just humiliating. It irreparably damaged the body. Oftentimes first degree burns were sustained from the initial contact with the tar. Also, you cannot get cooled tar off your skin without taking the skin with it. So when the victims or their families tried to remove the tar or even just the feathers stuck in the tar, it would take a good portion of the skin with it leaving the victim open to shock from the trauma and drastic infections, not to mention the damage to their bodies and skin. Trying to remove the feathers or the tar, if successful, would leave horrible scars. Depending on how "complete" the job was done, there was also a risk of heat stroke as the tar would prevent the body's skin from breathing.

Nowadays, to say you want to "tar and feather" someone or to say "they should be tarred and feathered," means you want to give them a brutal and humiliating punishment for their actions.

Pastorius said...

I say, instead of tarring and feathering them, we should just force them to wear a boa and smoke a cigarette from a long cigarette holder, and parade them around like that.

Then, maybe we can put Pelosi on the MR/Pastorius spit.


Oww, man, I just vomited.

midnight rider said...

Tar & Feathering -- just what I said, with a little elaboration

midnight rider said...

Pelosi on the MR/Pastorius spit:

That's an image I may never be able to drive from my head.

Now if you'll excuse, I need to pour bleach in my eyes. . .

Who, exactly, are you trying to punish with that?

Pastorius said...

Ok, I'm done cleaning up the vomit.

How're your eyes, MR?

midnight rider said...

Aaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!