Monday, January 19, 2009

Coretta Scott King: Murder Victim Family Member Against the Death Penalty

As we remember the life of Martin Luther King, Jr today, we can also reflect on how his widow viewed capital punishment.

Coretta Scott King, the widow of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., died in 2006 at the age of 78. She is remembered for many brave and selfless acts, including her steady opposition to capital punishment.

The widow of one of the nation's most famous murder victims frequently voiced her opposition to the death penalty with a very powerful argument.

"As one whose husband and mother-in-law have died the victims of murder and assassination, I stand firmly and unequivocally opposed to the death penalty for those convicted of capital offenses," she said. "An evil deed is not redeemed by an evil deed of retaliation. Justice is never advanced in the taking of a human life. Morality is never upheld by a legalized murder".

2 comments:

Unknown said...

This is a bunch of propagandist crap. The Jews did not take the land from the palistinians in 1948 or 1967. Those wjho read the bible know that the Jews were on that land long before the palistinians. The 12 tribes of Isreal were there in 2000 BC

CN said...

Ron, did you mean this for the 3rd article a few days ago from
The Parents Circle, which is a very similar movement in Israel to our own Journey of Hope? Like our movement, this movement of bereaved family members, is quite controversial in some circles. The reason for this controversy, as in circles where Journey speaks, is that they feature people from many different backgrounds--all who are considered to be for reconciliation and forgiveness and who have been through or are not going through a process of transformation. This healing process includes those who at one time or even still are considered by many to be "the enemy" --a criminal, a murderer with absolutely no redemptive qualities.

Like Journey, even in the worst possible scenario, forgiveness is the name of the game...

Yet I realize that you certainly have so much to teach all of us continually.

I want to keep learning from you and your perspective.

Thank you for your input...

Connie