Executing innocents is wrong. Pro-life advocates should oppose death penalty. | Opinion

While the pro-life movement traditionally focuses on issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and healthcare, I believe that the inclusion of the death penalty within this framework offers a more holistic understanding of what it means to champion the value of every human life. 

At the heart of the pro-life movement lies a fundamental belief in the sanctity of human life. Those of us who are pro-life advocate for the protection and preservation of life from conception to natural death. 

The death penalty, with its irreversible and final nature, stands in stark contrast to the principles of mercy, redemption, and second chances that underpin the pro-life ethos. By recognizing the inherent dignity of every individual, even those convicted of grievous offenses, we are called to uphold a vision of justice that seeks alternatives, prioritizing accountability and public safety without compromising our commitment to life. 

In conversations that I have had about this issue, I am sometimes told that those in the pro-life movement are committed to saving innocent life, not the lives of those who are guilty of heinous crimes.  

I understand that position. Yet, since 1973, at least 200 people who were convicted and sentenced to death in this country have been released from death row after evidence of their innocence was finally considered. Others were executed despite new evidence and lingering doubts. 

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