Illinois Gov. Pat
Quinn said he'll decide within a month whether to sign a bill
abolishing the death penalty.
The governor
encourages people with opinions to contact his office
Please prayerfully
consider the effects of the death penalty, and then contact
Governor Quinn and let him know not only that you are for or
against the death penalty, but your reasons for your opinion.
I will be writing the
Governor opposing the death penalty because it
disproportionately affects people of color and is
disproportionately applied to those who have been convicted of
killing a white person, because we know innocent people have
been sentenced to death, because the execution does not reduce
costs (it increases them), and because the death penalty is not
a deterrent - rather, it appears to encourage a spirit of
retribution.
I know there are
arguments for the death penalty as well, notably that the
finality of the penalty prevents the person executed from
committing future crimes: there have been people who have been
paroled or who have escaped and committed crimes. I encourage
those who have such arguments in favor to also contact Governor
Quinn.
Wherever the spirit leads
you, please be a part of this important discussion. This is
indeed a matter of life and death.
Governor Quinn's contact
information is at http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/Pages/ContacttheGovernor.aspx
