Statement to:
Family, Friends, Loved Ones; and to the Activist/Anti-Death Penalty Community
From: Death Row Community
For the longest time we here on Death Row have debated, meditated, and argued about the ways that we, as ONE UNITED community, could make those of you who care about us help fight for our freedom by telling you how we truly feel about many things that are done and not done to further bring about an end to the Death Penalty. The reality of the failure to end the Death Penalty is all too real to us who have had the honor to know, and then had the heart-ache to see, many friends and comrades go to their deaths. This is not to lessen the grief, hurt and suffering of the family, friends and loved ones, who have also gone through this with us, nevertheless, living here we see the terror, doom and hopelessness daily as we look into each others eyes trying to snatch moments of pleasure and happiness with the shared smiles and camaraderie that we share to have it all end in this sick and twisted nightmare of an INJUSTICE SYSTEM the same way, year after year, in death. Our lives are sacrificed for the State of Texas bloodlust. We feel that something has to be done. Now, although it may not be a consensus as to an overall approach this is something that we feel can have an effective start in helping to end the Death Penalty.
We have debated the ending of the death penalty and this is what we found out: it is UNCONSCIONABLE for our family, friends, and loved ones to, with their Tax Dollars, finance this process, and in some cases our death, in the Texas Murder Machine! Furthermore, we think that it is even more vile to have anyone who doesnt believe in the Death Penalty to also have to finance murder with their Tax Dollars. Our action here, henceforth, is a protest and a showing of our displeasure with this act. Our love remains, however we feel the requirement of you, our family, friends and loved ones, to finance this Murder Machine has to stop! In the same manner as it would be sick and twisted for a person to ask another person to buy a gun, load it and give it to them so that they could kill their loved one(s), we feel the same about the State of Texas and Death Penalty Advocates to require you to finance our executions.
The fact is, the Death Penalty is not a necessity. We understand that prisons are needed, but the Death Penalty is not. It is simply a tool wanted by those who ask for a life for a life for their loss of a loved one. Yet, even understanding the human want for revenge, the Death Penalty is in no way just. It is applied arbitrarily and disproportionately upon the poor, minority and disenfranchised. If a life for a life is the requirement for a person to deserve the Death Penalty, then why is it that someone who kills another and simply walks away does not receive the Death Penalty, but someone who kills and takes a wallet does? And for those who are given the Death Penalty, but are innocent and killed, who is to be the prosecuted for that persons death? How is that persons family to gain their justice? There is no just cause for a Death Penalty period!
Lastly, we ask that you our family, friends, and loved ones, take up our action and add to it: that you activist and anti-death penalty groups also take our action and add to it. Make this issue an issue for politicians to honor. If they will not, then find those who will. We know that you would not willingly finance our deaths, but as long as your Tax Dollars are used for this purpose, you, in effect, are. PLEASE (!) help make the politicians stop using your money to kill us!
In Unity and Solidarity,
The Death Row Community
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FAMILY, FRIENDS, LOVED ONES AND CONCERNED CITIZENS
TAX DOLLARS AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY
I (name), ____________________________________________, being a family, friend, loved one, or other concerned citizen of a person(s) who currently resides on Texas Death Row, located in Livingston, at the Polunsky Unit, believe that it is a bias, unjust and barbaric practice to require MY Tax Dollars to be used to finance, what I believe to be, the unjust murder of MY family member, friend and/or loved one. I sign this letter as a protest and as a pledge that MY VOTE shall go to support any Ballot Initiative and politician who helps to support, and/or draft, legislation that will end this unjust and inhumane practice.
I further add MY NAME, VOTE and SUPPORT to all people who have similarly taken this stance, who may also have family, friend, and/or a loved one on Texas Death Row; and to any group, organization or politicians who likewise stand with me in opposition to the use of OUR TAX DOLLARS to finance state sanctioned murder.
I (signature), _________________________________________; phone number___________________ protest against MY TAX DOLLARS being used to finance state sanctioned murder.
Please send the signed sheet to one of the organizations below:
HRC Tx. Branch Operation L.I.F.E.
c/o Will Saunders c/o Knut Erik Paulli
P.O. Box 87193 Morkved
Gaithersburg, MD 20886 8020 Bodoe
U.S.A. Norway