Culture of Life?
by Robert Koop

Paul Weyrich's "New Conservative Movement" made me think of a new approach for conservatives on the death penalty.

There is a lot of opposition to the death penalty from the Catholic Church and the "Culture of Life" proponents of which I claim membership. Just as there is great opposition to abortion, there is opposition to the death penalty. However, these two movements are populated by different sets of people.

I propose a plank in the conservative platform to include a limitation on capitol punishment except in the rare instances of multiple murder and murder involving torture.

This would make 95% of murder cases life without parole saving hundreds of millions in legal expenses PLUS if new evidence turns up something can be done.

There is no basis for the death penalty in conservatism. It is simply an Old Testament tradition of an eye-for-an-eye. I believe the New Testament tradition of love-one-another is a better fit for compassionate conservatism.

As Catholics wake-up and get serious about their faith I believe they can fill the conservative movement with new blood and energy and society moves forward one little step at a time.