The Phoenix Jewish news., 1959-05-22
Death Penalty Debate

n
Rabbi Maurice N Eisendrath, president of the I'm
ion of American Hebrew Congregations, has issued
call for abolishment of capital punishment His pro-
posal will come before the Commission Social Ac-
ton which represents the UAHC, its afflliates and
the Central Conference of American Rabbs, on June
% in Boston.
Rabbi Eisendrath has requested the UAHC general
assembly to adopt resolution embodying the pro-
posal.
chairman, has urged program of education and de-
bate on the idea of abolshng the death penalty to be
undertaken by the 10000 members of Americas 500
Reform temples Religious groups, he said, have re
sponsbty to examine the moral and spiritual aspects
of the death penalty His group has issued booklet
on the subject, mans Right to Life"
The pamphlet calls capital punishment "a brutal
ization of the human spirit and arrogaon to vim
dictive man of the life taking power which inheres
only in God.
said "What distinguishes democracy from the brutal
itarians is spiritual and moral ideas particularly
our reverence for the dignity of the Individual The
idea of capital punishment is blatant denial of the
sanctity of the Individual
"Capital punishment serves no practical purpose.
Abundant statistical experience has demonstrated
that capital punishment is not effective as deter
rent Nor can it be denied that innocent persons
have been executed as have been mentally disturbed
persons Seldom murderers with means, who can
afford unlimited appeals subjected to the death PEN
atty Most persons executed are poor and frlendleSS
ReSOrting to inflammatory declarations - such as
implying that favoring the death penalty is
istic and rregious-reflects credit upon propon-
ens of abolition In fact it is contrary to democratic
proposition on basis other than its merits.
The fact is that the battle of international COM
munism and the Free West has nothing whatsoever
to do with the merits of the death penalty.
Another fact is that "an eye for eye and tooth
for tooth is biblical and ample basis for capital
punishment proponents to claim Gods word their
side Therefore, the religious factor must be emin
ated.
Stating that statistics show ineffectiveness of cap
ital punishment deterrent means nothing Stats
tics it is we'll known be tailored to suit almost
any situation It is hard to believe that lynchings in
the South would less frequently If the yncherS
did not know they were operating in privileged
sanctuary The privileged sanctuary afforded juvenile
denquents also lessons their fear of punishment and
stripping this shield from this group probably would
result in a lessening of killings on their part.
AS for killers being friendless, it seems natural
thing. Who wants to be friends with a murderer!
Does Rabbi Esendrath feel that murderers should not
only be free from the fear of execution but also free
from any rebuke from society?
AS for mentally disturbed murderers, aren't all
such persons mentally disturbed? The annals of
had been under treatment and then released to prey
upon society There is no question that pervert
executed for killing will not kill again. mad dog
is dispatched with bullet in the brain, and thus So
ciety is protected
What does Rabbi Eisendrath think we ought to do
with persons who make ampshades out of the skin of
slain Jews? What of the depraved individuals who
emasculaed the first Negro they could kdnap during
the recent school ntegraton battle in the South? Are
individuals who have shown themselves to be sub
human in such respects to be treated humanely?
Actually, the proposal for Americas Reform Jews
to debate the subject is an gnobe one The fact that
the rabbits idea is to be submitted for approval OF
group which has published favorable booklet the
subject in advance shows that adoption of the
luton is fait accomp It takes soothsayer to pre-
dict the outcome. Americas Reform Jews might just
as well debate whether birds should fly.
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