[Spanish Version]
“God has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter
but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:6
Wisconsin has not had a death penalty for the past 152 years. Recently introduced legislation being considered by the Wisconsin Legislature seeks an advisory referendum to lay the groundwork for the reintroduction of capital punishment in our state. Milwaukee Catholics for Peace and Justice strongly opposes the death penalty and is committed to educating the public about alternatives to this inhumane practice.
As Catholics, we are called upon to recognize and affirm the value of every human life. The deliberate killing of a defenseless human being demeans all of us and crushes our human spirit, wherever and whenever it occurs. This is as true when the public’s executioner kills as when the murderer kills. The Vatican, under the guidance of our late beloved Pope John Paul II, made its position on this issue clear when it declared, in June 2001, that “the pursuit of the abolition of capital punishment [is] an integral part of the defense of human life at every stage of its development.”
As People of God, we are witnesses to the truth that the hope of redemption before death is God’s most precious gift to us. No one, not even a hardened criminal, can be denied the hope of personal conversion and repentance. Every execution, by extinguishing its victim’s opportunity for repentance, reconciliation and redemption, robs him or her of that gift, which is God’s alone to dispense. We are fallible human beings. When we execute, we arrogate to ourselves the power to judge and destroy life. We do so often erroneously and always immorally.
At the same time we grieve with the survivors of murdered loved ones, of whom the U.S. Catholic Bishops said, in November 2005, “For many left behind, a death sentence offers the illusion of closure and vindication. No act, even an execution, can bring back a loved one or heal terrible wounds. The pain and loss of one death cannot be wiped out by another death.”
“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”
Luke 6:27
Wisconsin has a proud history of opposing the death penalty. Since Wisconsin became a state in 1848, there has been only one execution, in 1851, which set the stage for the abolition of the death penalty in 1853. Since then, a number of bills have been introduced to reinstate the death penalty – most of them in the last 33 years - but none have been successful.
There are many arguments against the death penalty: discrimination, arbitrary application, mistakes and higher costs among them. As applied in this country, which has the highest execution rate of any “first world” country, the death penalty is economically, racially and geographically biased and thus deeply flawed. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, there have been 1004 executions since 1976. During roughly the same time period, 120 people have been released from death row as a result of new evidence of their innocence, including DNA evidence. From 2000 through 2004, 35 inmates were freed from death row and exonerated. Recent studies continue to confirm that race is often a factor in death penalty cases. For example, a recent comprehensive study in North Carolina found that the odds of receiving the death penalty rose by 3.5 times among those defendants whose victims were white. Similarly, there is substantial evidence of the arbitrary nature of the punishment. Although each year 2000 to 4000 people commit acts which could lead to the death penalty, fewer than 300 are sentenced to be executed.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you,
so you must love one another.” John 3:34
We believe that our Christian faith compels us to oppose the death penalty. Let us join together against its reinstatement in Wisconsin. We ask for your prayers and support in opposing this legislation.
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