THE DEATH PENALTY IS PRO-LIFE, CMN!

As some of us, the comrades of Unit 1012 are born again Christians. We would like rebut Catherine Jarboe, director of Catholic state networks and organizations for Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN) to End the Death Penalty. We will back up our rebuttal essay with different kinds of statistics with stories from blog posts and also Force 1109 Blog.

INTERNET SOURCE: http://ncronline.org/blogs/conversations-sr-camille/woman-advocates-repeal-death-penalty-part-unconditional-pro-life

Jarboe: CMN works to prepare Catholics for informed involvement in campaigns to repeal state death penalty laws and expand or inaugurate restorative justice programs. Ending the death penalty is a state issue, so we work to lift up the Catholic voice in the movement state by state, and we're making progress. Six states in six years have passed repeal legislation, and in each state, Catholics were at the vanguards. We're a ministry of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet against the death penalty and a lay collaborative of the USCCB.

Sr. Camille: Do you find that Catholics are as well-informed about the church's position against the death penalty as they are on other pro-life issues?

No, and that's why we're here, to clear things up.

REBUTTAL: Please see our Unit 1012 Blog post, ‘UNIT 1012 SENDS OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE VICTIMS OF THE 2012 SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING(DECEMBER 14, 2012)’, we totally disagree as we know that the Roman Catholic Church did support the death penalty long ago.

The Roman Catholics who are truly Pro Life do support the death penalty and are truly against abortion.

Why do you think this is?

One reason is that the church's position on the death penalty has evolved over time to the catechesis of today, outlined by Pope John Paul II. There's a sort of "generation gap" on the issue. Plus, the teaching is absolutely clear, but proponents of the death penalty use its last line to manufacture ambiguity and confuse people. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that "the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor. If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means" (CCC 2267 [1]). And so, the test of whether the death penalty can be used is not the gravity of the offense, but whether it is absolutely necessary to protect society. The catechism adds that today, "the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity 'are very rare, if not practically non-existent' " (CCC 2267).

Pope John Paul II's perspective differed from that of some of fathers of the church, including Ambrose and Augustine.

Yes. They felt the state has the authority to administer appropriate punishment, including the death penalty. However, as Italian Franciscan Gino Concetti wrote in L'Osservatore Romano in 1977, "No matter how heinous the crimes ... [The offender] does not lose his fundamental right to life, for it is primordial, inviolable, and inalienable, and thus comes under the power of no one whatsoever."

And so, even if the judicial process was without flaws and death sentences were perfectly applied, Catholic pro-life teaching is emphatic -- we must still oppose the death penalty.

REBUTTAL: Please see this Force 1109 Blog Post: ‘KING DAVID VERSUS JOAB: A CHRISTIAN CASE FOR THE DEATH PENALTY’. Unit 1012 believes that God had given the State the right to execute criminals for Justice and Protection.

Please see The Catechism of Trent on THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT: "Thou shalt not kill" on the section: Execution of Criminals

“Another kind of lawful slaying belongs to the civil authorities, to whom is entrusted power of life and death, by the legal and judicious exercise of which they punish the guilty and protect the innocent. The just use of this power, far from involving the crime of murder, is an act of paramount obedience to this Commandment which prohibits murder. The end of the Commandment is the preservation and security of human life. Now the punishments inflicted by the civil authority, which is the legitimate avenger of crime, naturally tend to this end, since they give security to life by repressing outrage and violence. Hence these words of David in Psalms 101 verse 8: In the morning I put to death all the wicked of the land that I might cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord.”

Catherine, what fueled your passion for this concern?

My desire that people understand the fullness of the Catholic pro-life message. Our church's position on this sometimes-controversial question of the death penalty is vital piece of our pro-life teaching. Lots of pro-life Catholics and Christians are only pro-innocent-life…that's not what our church is calling us to. Our church teaches that all life must be respected and protected from conception to natural death, not simply from conception to natural birth. And as a Catholic, I believe strongly that the true measure of every institution in society is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of every human person.

Plus, I think it's worth noting what our bishops have said: that by opposing the death penalty, we remove any doubts that might arise about the sanctity of human life in all its stages, including the unborn, the aged, the infirm.

When did you become involved in the issue of capital punishment?

When working on pro-life issues for another national Catholic organization, I uncovered this one and the controversy interested me, mostly because I couldn't understand why there was a controversy at all.

REBUTTAL: << Our church teaches that all life must be respected and protected from conception to natural death, not simply from conception to natural birth. And as a Catholic, I believe strongly that the true measure of every institution in society is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of every human person.>> Every human person? Why is Catherine keeping quiet about murdered victims and their families. Scottish Philosopher once said:

“Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.”

There are many Christians and Roman Catholics who support the death penalty and oppose abortion, as they truly care for human life.

Can you name specific influences?

CMN's executive director, Karen Clifton, whom I met while directing policy efforts for another organization, really opened my eyes. She began her work against the death penalty in 1996 in Houston, when her social justice and advocacy projects intersected with those of one of our founders, St. Joseph Sr. Helen Prejean. Together in 2008, Karen, Sr. Helen and other Catholic leaders spearheaded the formation of the Catholic Mobilizing Network. Karen's dedication to restorative justice is inspiring -- borne from her work with families of death row inmates.

Working with Vicki Schieber is a gift. Her beautiful daughter, Shannon, was raped and murdered in 1998. Since this tragic incident, Vicki and her husband, Sylvester, have dedicated their careers and lives to ending the death penalty. In addition to promoting repeal in many high schools and university classes, Vicki manages the CMN Mount St. Mary's University office and runs workshops. She's a published author and has served on state commissions on capital punishment. Most recently, she helped lead efforts for repeal in Maryland. She inspires me. Despite her deep sorrow over the murder of her daughter, she brings light and hope to many and does all this in the name of her Catholic faith.

Vicki and Sylvester must have a deep faith to be so committed, despite the murder of their daughter.

I am blessed to work with many wonderful people. Another is Sr. Ilaria Buonriposi, a Comboni Missionary Sister, who heads our Spanish-speaking outreach efforts. During her 17 years in South America, she ran a diocesan microcredit program that empowered women living in poverty in Peru. In Colombia, she worked with homeless street children in a violent, drug-infested conflict zone. She witnessed unjustified and indiscriminate violence. Her stories are amazing. Today, she works with us to educate the growing number of American Spanish-speaking Catholics, and she also represents her religious congregation at the United Nations.

Why do you think people approve the death penalty?

Because they don't understand it. The death penalty that people believe that they are for is not the death penalty that we actually have. They are laboring under the misconception that the system is fair, efficient, seeks the truth above all, and is mistake-proof. And they think it brings justice to victims, that we somehow "owe it to the families" to kill their loved one's killer. They are horribly mistaken. I have met amazing victims' family members from groups like Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation and Murder Victims' Families for Human Rights who have shared over and over again that the death penalty system delays the day when their healing can begin, that killing another is not what they need or want for their family, and that "closure" is a myth.

And 142 people have been exonerated from death row, many after years behind bars for crimes they didn't commit. Can you imagine the horror of that? The system is racist and biased against the poor. There are no rich people on death row, and that's no accident. Many people think life imprisonment costs more. In fact, death penalty trials average $2 million, more than double the costs of life in prison, and almost all of that cost is in the initial stages. So speeding up appeals doesn't save money.

REBUTTAL: Vicki Schieber is belongs only to the VFADP. Unit 1012 speaks out for many VFFDP who are grieving. We will also write a rebuttal essay to Karen Clifton in another blog post. Be as oppose to the death penalty if you want to, but stopping helping the ACLU!

Want to know why the comrades of Unit 1012 approve the death penalty? Please go to our Blog post.

The arguments that those Death Penalty opponents provide like racism and executing an innocent person can be rebutted here. Please see this blog post, “STOP THE RACISM, KEEP THE PUNISHMENT!”

There are massive safeguards and strict guidelines to follow in capital cases, the chance of getting an innocent person wrongfully executed is close to nil. The innocence argument is just one of the scare stories used to frighten people to preserving the evildoers.

The Death Penalty Information Center is not honest to mention that only a fraction of the 142 people on their innocence list are factually innocent, the rest got off Death Row because they were only legally innocent.

Here are some sources to rebut the DPIC Innocence lists:
1. http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/innocence.htm
2. http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/the-innocent-exonerated-and-death-row_19.html
3. http://old.nationalreview.com/ponnuru/ponnuru100102.asp
4. http://www.cjlf.org/files/CampbellExonerationInflation2008.pdf

Here are two cases of exonerated people who are now great embarrassments to the DPIC and all Death Penalty opponents: 

 

Joseph Green Brown

Exonerated 27: Joseph Green Brown murdered his wife on September 14, 2012.
http://soldierexecutionerprolifer2008.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/exonerated-27-from-usa-death-row-from.html

Timothy B. Hennis

Exonerated 39 to 40: On April 8, 2010, former death row inmate Timothy B. Hennis, once exonerated in 1989, was reconvicted of a triple murder, thereby dropping him from the list of those exonerated.
http://soldierexecutionerprolifer2008.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/all-along-guilty-timothy-b-hennis.html

One of the main reasons why capital trials are more expensive than life sentence is because of the ACLU demons who made it expensive. Abolishing the death penalty will not save money at all.

Don't some proponents cite the Bible for their support?

Some Christians say they are simply following the Old Testament's Exodus 21:23-25: an "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth." They dismiss Matthew 5:38-42, where Jesus admonishes us not to engage in any retaliatory punishment at all but to "turn the other cheek" and to "do good to those who persecute you." Do you know that the Bible has 44 standards that regulate the use of the death penalty? The U.S. application fails to comply with any of them. Anyone who wants to learn more should read the new book Where Justice and Mercy Meet: Catholic Opposition to the Death Penalty. It comprehensively shares Catholic teaching and reasons for repeal using compelling stories. It's co-edited by CMN's Vicki Scheiber, too, and includes discussion questions helpful for book groups and students.

REBUTTAL: For us, Comrades of Unit 1012, we would encourage those Bible-believing, Born Again or Baptized Christians and Roman Catholics to read “Punishment by Death: A Defense of Capital Punishment” by 19^th Century Calvinist, George B. Cheever.

“Using both the Old and New Testament as his final authority, George B. Cheever clearly demonstrates that capital punishment was instituted by God for the punishment of murderers and has never been rescinded. Cheever’s commentary and biblical arguments can help guide us to a better understanding of the controversial issue. It contains an introduction and biographical sketch of George B. Cheever by William C. Nichols.”

People like Catherine obviously did not dare to talk about recidivist murderers. She should have seen the Force 1109 Blog Post, ‘DEFENDING THE DEATH PENALTY: THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST’.

Unit 1012 feels the death penalty is Pro Life (for Justice and Protection) please see this quote from Saint Thomas Aquinas and read one of his articles. 

What anti-death-penalty successes have you witnessed in recent years?

More than six states in six years have repealed the death penalty. Catholic support for the use of the death penalty has dropped significantly to 48 percent. Younger Catholics (under 30) are even more vocal in their calls for repeal. Executions are down and death rows are shrinking. Fewer death sentences are meted out as people are less comfortable with our broken, biased system. Pope Benedict made appeals to stop the execution of Troy Davis and others and encouraged people to end the use of the death penalty. And Pope Francis in his first statement as pope made a call for mercy.

REBUTTAL: Unit 1012 follow Edmund Burke’s famous quote:

That is why Proposition 34 was defeated, we defeated Satan’s plan to destroy America by allowing more people to get murdered by killers. Most of all, we pray that God will protect us and crush Satan’s pro murderer game.

Unit 1012 knows that Troy Davis was guilty of his crime and also wonders why did the ACLU type kept silent about Lawrence Brewer the white supremacist who was executed in Texas the same day when Troy Davis was put to death.

Have you ever known or interacted with a person on death row? If so, please tell us about that connection.

I have met and worked with many wonderful people in the movement such as exonerees, whose powerful stories help fuel my zeal to end the death penalty. I have also met courageous people like Terri Steinberg who share the truth about the death penalty's ripple effects on families. CMN's executive director, Karen Clifton, who has been working on this issue for years alongside her friend and our co-founder Sr. Helen Prejean has met family members of people on death row. Karen's son, Andrew, was a pen pal to James Aldridge. James was sentenced to death for participating in a convenience store robbery, during which his brother killed the store attendant. On Texas' death row, James was a mentor to many and used his talent as an artist to bring hope to others. His letters to Andrew spoke of the gift of freedom, advising him to making wise choices and value his family. As a teenager, Andrew testified at a Texas state committee hearing about the wise mentor he found in James. James transformed his fellow death row inmates who tended to arrive angry and resentful into thoughtful and spirit-filled people. Texas killed James anyway. Andrew and Karen were present with the family on the day of his execution and experienced the surreal agony of anticipating a state-sanctioned murder.

Is your work a byproduct of your faith?

Absolutely. But even if I had no faith at all, I would still oppose the death penalty. It is a racist tool of justice that discriminates against the poor, keeps private prisons overflowing, breeds a cycle of violence and does nothing to restore communities or keep them safe. I believe in the Catholic vision of restorative justice: a victim-focused system that demands significant consequences and provides opportunities for healing for the victim and the victim's family and an opportunity for the offender to right the wrong they have done.

Do your family members share your concern?

I have two brothers. As conservatives, both were proponents of the death penalty. Our dinner table conversations are lively. Recent information from conservative groups they respect is opening their eyes to the government over-reach, the huge inefficiencies and the tremendous cost. My daughter, at 18, is embarrassed about the company the U.S. keeps: Our death penalty proponents are on the same page as major human rights violators like China, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran. She's horrified that our home state, North Carolina, just repealed the groundbreaking Racial Justice Act, which helped ensure racial bias doesn't put someone on death row. My husband is horrified that when North Carolina executes or pursues the death penalty, it does so in his (and all our) name.

REBUTTAL: Please see our blog post: ‘JESUS CARES FOR VICTIMS’ FAMILIES’. It will rebut everything Catherine and her family members think.

One of our favorite Bible Verse is Romans 12 verse 15, it will be a verse to show that we walk in the shoes of the victims’ families:

Romans 12 verse 15 (NKJV) [PHOTO SOURCE: http://www.word-picture.org/romans-12-15-we-have-each-other/]

If Catherine claims that restorative justice works as well, meaning that those killers can be redeem and heal society, she should learn the case of Leonard Keith Lawson and Barry Gordon Hadlow, who were devout Christians and model prisoners, who won their parole for good behavior and went on to murder again. She should also learn about James Tramel who became an Episcopal priest after serving a prison sentence for murder, he is now suspended from church duties as he had been accused of sexual misconduct. 

Unit 1012 advises you to stop showing support for evildoers, if you end the death penalty, you will be grieving more victims’ families and causing more innocent lives. Blood is on the CMN’s hands! We rather the CMN spend their full time working to end abortion which has claimed millions of innocent lives than work for the ACLU.

Please think of WWII Hero, the Lion of Münster, Bishop Clemens August Graf von Galen who spoke out against the Third Reich, meaning that he spoke against evil and not for evil. 

The Lion of Münster, Bishop Clemens August Graf von Galen