I signed on to a letter opposing federal executions. I invite my clergy friends to join me. Here is the information:
In Collaboration with Clergy Emergency League, Red Letter Christians, Vote Common Good, L’Chaim: Jews Against the Death Penalty, and others…
As ministers to many of our greatest societal problems, we advocate for systemic solutions to violent crime that address our communities’ needs for justice, equity, and love, not vengeance. In this moment, the first step we are taking is to raise awareness among citizens and members of our congregations about the new crass and harsh ways the death penalty is being implemented. Thus, we call for an immediate halt to the executions that have been scheduled by our federal government.
It has been 131 years since the last time there was a federal execution under a lame duck president. But already, there have been post-election executions on November 19, December 10 and December 11, 2020, and now three more are scheduled for January 12, 14 and 15, 2021. The final execution is set on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Details of these cases raise questions of innocence/culpability, issues around serious mental illness, intellectual capacity, fairness, racial bias, and other horrific issues that plague our modern death penalty.
Between July 14 and December 11, 2020, the federal government has overseen 10 executions. The alarming speed with which these executions have been scheduled and carried out should deeply trouble all Americans.
Join me in signing the letter opposing federal executions.
