Back home for the summer, I realized how much I really do
like my home state. I mean, where in Europe—cool as it is—are you going to hear
Christian radio playing in a sandwich shop, or see a car wash sporting a Bible
verse on its marquee? And there’s just something about cowboy boots that makes
you feel about ten feet tall on the inside. One of my favorite things about
Texas, though, is its strong pro-life movement. Especially in Dallas, where it
all began with Roe vs. Wade.
I am opposed to abortion for any reason in any situation. My
opposition to abortion is, in the end, what pushed me over to the side of those
who oppose capital punishment. How? Quite simply, really. When asked why I was
against abortion, I would say, “Because no human being has the right to take
the life of another human being.” That’s when it hit me…How could I call myself
pro-life and not also speak out against capital punishment?[1]
I do not here propose to argue my case from the standpoint of
practicality. In this argument I’m not interested in whether or not capital
punishment deters crime, or how much money is spent feeding and housing
prisoners, or how much money is wasted on legal proceedings surrounding the
issue. Human life is to be protected whether practical or not. And though it is
a good point, I’m not concerned here with the fact that courts make mistakes in
judgment. All that I’m saying applies to people who really are guilty. I’m also
not arguing from sentimentality, saying that nobody could deserve such a cruel
thing as execution. I’d even venture to say that by committing murder one forfeits
one’s own life. But here’s the catch, the whole reason I’m writing this. Just
because a person does something for which they might deserve to die does not
mean that the right to take their life falls into the hands of their fellow
humans. Only the Author of Life has the right to decide when a life should end.
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it
is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’.” Romans 12:19
I said above that executing a murderer may technically be
just, according to one definition of justice. A life for a life, right? But here’s
one thing about cold hard justice: every sinner (that is, every human except
Jesus and his mother Mary), technically
deserves hell because of original sin. We certainly don’t deserve heaven, but
we can go there because Jesus took our punishment on the cross and forgave us
our sins. Justice without love and mercy is a cold, cruel machine. God doesn’t
give us the punishment we deserve. Who are we to do differently to other humans
than what God has done for us? The execution of a criminal only does further
harm, depriving them of the chance to repent of their crimes and be reconciled with God, as well as tearing up the soul of
the executioner, since, as automated as we have made the act of killing,
someone still has to give the order, flip the switch, push the button. I call,
therefore, on my fellow Texans (and fellow Americans, since Texas is not the
only state with capital punishment) to take this step towards becoming more
fully pro-life, by opposing capital punishment for all crimes.
[1]
The question of self-defense may come up here. Self-defense is permitted
because the intention is to preserve one’s own life, and not to kill the
attacker (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2263). I do realize that this could
prove problematic/confusing in cases where a pregnancy threatens the life of
the mother. I’m sure there’s much written on that subject, but one thing at a
time. As far as capital punishment is concerned, there is a difference between
an unarmed prisoner locked up and isolated in a cell and an assassin coming at
you with a loaded pistol and the intent to use it. See CCC 2267.