General/Religious Abolitionists

General Information

One of the very well heard groups of voices that I came across in my research were those of abolitionist groups. These included well known general groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), opinion writers such as the NY Times Editorial Board, as well as religious abolitionist opinions from the organization People Of Faith Against The Death Penalty (PFADP) and Catholic nun Sister Helen Prejean. What was clear within all of the opinions from these groups was that their anti-death penalty arguments oftentimes revolved around general logistical and humanitarian areas of which it was lacking.

Despite the NY Time’s stance being more one-off opinion-writing based, and ACLU’s stance being based on years of anti-death rallying (having now made a name for themselves as a prominent abolitionist group in the American limelight) many of their views were rather similar. Both made constant references to the litany of flaws within general logistical carrying-out of the death penalty, attacking it’s racial bias, ineffectivity, overly costly procedures, non-respect for human life and, all in all, (more so the NY Times article) elaborated on the unbelievable butchering of the entire system within the US.

Sister Helen Prejean and PFADP, made references to similar flaws, however, it was evident that their opinions erred on the side of humanity, and respect of human life. Prejean, who wrote the book turned movie: “Dead Man Walking” and has been an anti-death penalty supporter her whole life (much like many Catholics) riddled her commentary with references to a changing world, and how the inhumane elements of the death penalty are not acceptable nowadays. Similarly, PFADP, who accept into their ranks all religious followers against the death penalty, strive to get their message heard, called on by god, that the death penalty denies the sacredness of human life, and must be held accountable for letting humans destroy themselves.

Alignment With My Claim

At the moment, I think that the most pressing elements that should be brought to light surrounding the death penalty are those related to its lack of refinement in execution. There are some references to a flawed system within some of the perspectives above, and their arguments against the racial bias evident within the penalty have some correlation to my ideas about inconsistency. However, too often their views are related to how the death penalty generally isn’t effective, or costs too much, or doesn’t respect human life, (even racial bias) and due to their values/beliefs containing the sort of power that they do within the global society, those are the opinions, that are heard and put in the limelight. These over-broad opinions oftentimes, not even purposefully, then end up causing for a general disregard of those smaller, more important, first-hand experience stories of: lack of government aid, lengthy processes etc. which contain less force/power behind them - all creating the wrong focus surrounding what elements of the penalty need changing in my mind.

Key Quotes/Standpoints

NY Times:

“The death penalty is a savage, racially biased, arbitrary and pointless punishment that becomes rarer and more geographically isolated with every year.”

“The death penalty is not and has never been about the severity of any given crime. Mental illness, intellectual disability, brain damage, childhood abuse or neglect, abysmal lawyers, minimal judicial review, a white victim — these factors are far more closely associated with who ends up getting executed.”

ACLU:

“Capital punishment is an intolerable denial of civil liberties and is inconsistent with the fundamental values of our democratic system. The death penalty is uncivilized in theory and unfair and inequitable in practice. Through litigation, legislation, and advocacy against this barbaric and brutal institution,”

“If, however, severe punishment can deter crime, then permanent imprisonment is severe enough to deter any rational person from committing a violent crime.”

Sister Helen Prejean:

“Pro-life Catholics believe in the dignity of innocent life, but now it's being stretched and extended to even those who are guilty of terrible crimes. As Pope John Paul said in St. Louis, even those people have a dignity that must not be taken from them.”

“But what changes - and this is this growth, this evolutionary growth in consciousness and morals and values - juries are showing they're content with a life sentence.”

PFADP:

“The American death penalty system is racist, predisposed to executing the poor and destitute among us, prohibitively expensive compared to life imprisonment, and inequitable and unfair in its implementation.”

“As people of faith, we know that the God of all faiths calls us to something more: a high and often difficult standard of love and forgiveness and a justice that is rooted not in retribution but rather in redemption and restoration.”