Anti-Death Penalty Letter of Interest

I saw a great letter to the editor in the Greensboro alternative weekly "Yes Weekly!"

The letter was written by local resident Chuck Mann, and it appeared in the March 14 issue.
I found it refreshing because it comes from a religious person. Though I am not one myself, I find that this sensitive issue, which was hotly debated in the Virginia General Assmebly just this week, does unite those of us who may come at the same moral truth from different perspectives.

Here it is in its entirety, with some minor edits:

Now is a good time for our state to abolish the death penalty.
I would like your newspaper to endorse this idea. Unfortunately many Christians, for some reason, support executions. I wish they would practice what Jesus preached.
Jesus believed in peace, love and forgiveness. Who would Jesus execute?
Would He support shooting, hanging, electrocuting or injecting someone with poison? Of course not.
Hitler on the right and Stalin on the left supported torture and executions. I don't. If you are on my side, then let's try to eliminate the death penalty in our state (NC).

Chuck Mann
Greensboro

Links:

http://www.yesweekly.com

For more information on various state (NC and Va) and national organizations which oppose capital punishment email me at
tango74@aol.com

I strongly differ with some activists in that I don't think those of us who oppose this backwards, Orwellian practice which does absolutely nothing to prevent homicides should contact inmates on death row except for members of the clergy, like Sister Helen Prejean. It is simply politically awkward, and it is not condusive towards showing sympathy with family members of homicide victims.