Dennis,
Gordon's whipping does seem excessive. However whipping has been used in the United States since we were British Colonies. Quite frankly a lot of criminals have no trepidation about spending time in jail. A whipping might be more of a detriment as a punishment and would certainly save my tax dollars for keeping up felons. By the way, I see whipping was last used as a judicial punishment in the the United States in Delaware in 1952. Not that long ago.