It is time that we, as a mature and civilized society, repudiate capital punishment as all other civilized nations have done. The taking of human life, even by the state, is, at all time and under all conditions, so barbarous, inhumane and uncivilized as to be cruel and unusual per se. It expresses only the most base and intemperate elements in the human psyche. The practice is completely out of step with every other decent culture on the Earth.
The issue is not a complex question of law. It is not a displaced reliance on antiquated religious dicta. Taking human life is simply an inappropriate activity for the state. It reduces each and every citizen of the Commonwealth to the status of accomplice in the manslaughter. Decent persons don't want to kill other human beings. That's why we punish murderers. There is no such thing as "good killing."
Capital punishment is simply wrong. The time has come to abandon it.
[We urge our users to printout copies of this plea and to forward them to the Supreme Court. The address is: Box 624, Harrisburg, PA 17108]
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