Check out this poster and let me know what you think. I’m still kinda’ going through my thoughts on this.
Jill Stanek seems pretty outraged by it.
I spotted the above graphic on the Holy Angels Youth Group website (out of Chagrin Falls, Ohio).
Although the graphic was certainly well-intended, it bothered me.
The annual March for Life is scheduled on or near January 22, the anniversary of the infamous U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion throughout all of America in 1973.
Although the M4L website states it is “the collective effort of grassroots prolife Americans to assure that our state and federal laws shall protect the right to life of each human in existence at fertilization,” I think clearly the March is by-and-large a huge demonstration taking a stand against abortion.
Particularly for the above graphic to state the March is to make a statement “against the death penalty,” and to even list it first – before abortion – offends me.
On the one hand, not putting abortion first does bother me. But I’m also for a consistent ethic of life. I’ve got to think about this one a bit. The thing is, to put it bluntly, it feels a little hippie to me. I know that sounds crazy but it just feels a little like what a pro-life poster the Nuns on the Bus would put up (if they were actually pro-life.)
The thing is, I know there’s a good number of people who are not opposed to the death penalty who are anti-abortion. And while I don’t agree with the death penalty I do believe they’re coming to their stance from an honest perspective that I respect.
I think the poster is attempting to get a different crowd to the March for Life. And that’s good. But if it dilutes the message at all it’s certainly problematic.
I’m interested to know what you think. I haven’t made up my mind yet.
January 3, 2013 at 3:40 pm
I Think it is a well intentioned attempt to articulate a reality against a charge often leveled at pro-life groups. (an incorrect charge but a charge none the less), that all we are concerned about, is abortion. There isn't a march for life against the Death Penalty, yet we say we are pro-life. There isn't a march against human trafficing that takes place every year, yet we are pro-life, so even if it is a bit PC –or as PC as pro-life gets in adding these other tentacles of the culture of death that we are against, it is correct. I do not think outrage is the right response. We are pro-life. We are against the Death Penalty just as surely as we are against abortion. Both are legal, one just is done on a more massive scale, but both are sanctioned by the state, even championed by our tax dollars. Both should be opposed, it doesn't matter which one comes first, the lives of each person affected, don't care if they are given lethal injections before or after birth. The souls of those that do it, regardless of the timeline, are the ones in jeopardy.
January 3, 2013 at 3:42 pm
I am opposed to the death penalty for a number of reasons. HOWEVER, I think that the sign is an attempt to push the "seamless garment" argument and it diminishes the the overriding importance of the central issue of abortion. I don't think the death penalty should even be mentioned in the same argument as abortion.
January 3, 2013 at 3:45 pm
It dilutes the message, at best. At worst it could be an attempt to change the message. The March for Life is and always has been about abortion. This is not a good poster.
January 3, 2013 at 3:47 pm
It's about keeping the main thing the main thing. The death penalty is nowhere near on the same level as abortions. Catholics may disagree in good faith on the death penalty , but not abortion. It's a distraction and weakens the main message.
January 3, 2013 at 3:52 pm
If they had done it in order: abortion, human trafficing, death penalty, euthanasia, it would be better. Howver it would still isolate those who think the death penalty is justified…I myself only moved away from that stand this past year because I realized that those cases where it would be justified (well connected criminals who can still commit crimes behind bars) would not occur and instead the poor or ignorant were being killed.
January 3, 2013 at 3:54 pm
I think it goes wrong in that it does distract from the central message of abortion. That's what the march is about. Additionally, not all pro-lifers are 100% opposed to the death penalty. Heck, the Catholic Church isn't even technically 100% against the death penalty. To put it up top on the list is strange and potentially divisive. We march in January against Roe v. Wade and abortion and the legalized killing of innocent human life in the womb. Regardless of the intention, I don't think this will bring any additional people to the fight, it's just going to cause distraction and division.
January 3, 2013 at 4:19 pm
At first it didn't bother me that these issues were all lumped together because every single one needs to be abolished and deserve the kind of prayer and soap box that the March can bring. I also felt like the poster quickly diffuses the anti-life argument about how we pro-lifers only care about a fetus and not any of the other anti-life issues in the world. Then, a toddler-like feeling came over me…"get your own March!!" I agree that it was very well intended but, nonetheless, takes the focus off of abortion, which I'm confident destroys more lives then all the rest of the "death penalties" combined. Please don't think I'm being insensitive to a horrific crime against humanity but why would human trafficking be on that list? It undoubtedly deserves its own march with just as many supporters but in the general sense, it does not destroy the physical life of the person…surely the emotional, mental, and spiritual life though (which are arguably more important). IF (and that's a big if) major media finally picks up the march and reports it, the world will not see thousands of people coming together for one issue but for many, and that dilutes the message. Here's another thing that's bothering me: I've worked very hard to include our Protestant bros in the abortion fight and make it as ecumenical as possible. In many circles, the majority of pro-lifers are Catholic, and as a former "non-denom" now convert-Catholic, that always bothered me. I've knocked on pastors' doors, called pastors, invited Protestant friends to events, made the arguments and through the grace of God, brought more soldiers to the fight. This "lumping together" of the issues alienates MANY of our Protestant friends who strongly believe in capital punishment. What do we say to the well intended pro-life Baptist who already bought her plane ticket for the March who now realizes that she is ALSO marching for the end of capital punishment when she strongly believes in it? Yes, we shouldn't water down the truth and our ethics in order to gain a few more friends but this isn't what they signed up for! Bait and switch. We should continue to preach the truth and encourage our friends to see that capital punishment is still playing God, even if it is for the guilty but to do it this way is somewhat underhanded. To work so hard to be of one accord on the issue of abortion only to divide us on other issues when the subject of tax-payer funded abortion has never been more important, is beyond frustrating. I'll be in Washington DC from Jan 6-12th and I feel the need to make a stop at the March's headquarters to voice my concerns. I would have been happy to help prep and hand out fliers but not now. Frustrating. Sorry for the rant…but not really.
January 3, 2013 at 4:23 pm
Death penalty is not immoral. Abortion is.
Right to life is being hijacked by Liberal scumbags. Issues are being confused.
January 3, 2013 at 4:26 pm
Christina,
I find myself conflicted/drifting on the death penalty. I think the way it is currently applied is wrong for the some of the reasons you state. However I think a case can be made for it's rare use for those that are exceptionally dangerous to others (guards and other prisoners) while in prison. It's a high bar to cross (death penalty as self defense) but rarely it might be properly applied, so I do not rule it out entirely.
January 3, 2013 at 4:49 pm
No way should Death Penalty be the first on the list. It should be listed last if at all. Also, Human Trafficking? I'm totally against it, but it feels like this is coming out of left-field. pun intended as I think it is a not-so-clever way to try to divide and conquer a rising pro-life sentiment, especially among the young.
January 3, 2013 at 4:57 pm
Death penalty shouldn't even be on there. The death penalty can be moral in the name of justice. Abortion is never moral.
January 3, 2013 at 4:58 pm
We don't have to tackle every social and moral issue with every event. It's OK to march just to end abortion on the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. Focusing on abortion for the March for Life does not mean that we don't care about other issues.
January 3, 2013 at 5:00 pm
Abortion and euthanasia are intrinsically evil.
The death penalty is not now, has not ever been, and cannot ever be, intrinsically evil.
Insisting on placing the death penalty on the same level as abortion and euthanasia is a deliberate falsehood that must be opposed.
If that which was once universally taught to be morally acceptable (the death penalty) can suddenly be taught to be "evil" on the same plane as intrinsic evils such as abortion and euthanasia because of some strange development of doctrine, then in the minds of the faithful, why can't that which was once evil, like contraception or homosexuality, become morally acceptable?
This poster and the sentiment it expresses (deliberately on the part of some?) confuses the faithful by confusing intrinsic evils with prudential judgments.
In my state, Pennsylvania, there have been THREE individuals put to death in 40 years. In the time it took to write this post, multuple babies have died. Where is our sense of proportion and propriety?
January 3, 2013 at 5:11 pm
Abortion belongs at the top of the list. Otherwise, I'm fine with it. I like the design overall.
January 3, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Really bothers me. My extended family has sent about 40 + people to the march every year for the last 20 years, rain or snow or whathaveyou. And none of us oppose the death penalty. This is causing a problem where there didn't need to be one.
I forgive them, and we'll all go anyway, but they'd better not do it again. The Church has never taught the death penalty is intrinsically evil, as we all know.
January 3, 2013 at 5:27 pm
I like this poster. I think one of the best ways that anti-abortion people can win hearts and minds is by connecting the dots. The other life issues are more than tangentially related to our acceptance/ tolerance of abortion. If we can get people to understand this, we can draw many more to the pro-life cause.
Both Blessed John Paul II and Benedict(as recently as November) called for the end of the death penalty as a legal sanction. While American Catholics continue to support it, it's a cafeteria issue, the Catholic Church is against it.
January 3, 2013 at 5:32 pm
While American Catholics continue to support it, it's a cafeteria issue, the Catholic Church is against it.
This is simply false. I am an opponent of the death penalty personally, but there is no official anti-death penalty stance against the Church. Pope have spoken their personal opinions on the matter and have offered sound theological advice, but to say the Catholic Church is against the death penalty is not accurate in any way.
January 3, 2013 at 6:11 pm
I kind of like it, although the order should be Abortion, Euthanasia, Death Penalty, Human Trafficking. Having said that, I also believe it dilutes the issue and may do more harm than good, just judging from the reponses here so far. It is good to get a quarter million people together who all agree. On the other hand, if this gets the March some press, than it is worth the discord, because a March that nobody knows about except the participants is not very effective.
January 3, 2013 at 6:32 pm
They forgot contraception.
January 3, 2013 at 6:54 pm
From Clare Hall – My first reaction was, "Who created this design?" It appears as if the ranks have been infiltrated. What th' hell? The March of Life is and has always been against abortion. I whole heartedly agree that abortion the the death penalty are NOT the same thing. Was someone in the wings waiting for Nellie Gray to pass away so the March for Life could be "improved"? This is wrong. It's altering the original intent. Mark me in the "Upset/Disappointed/Outraged" column.