The death penalty is a crime against humanity, according to a local Amnesty International chapter.
The group met on Boston Common yesterday to persuade Bostonians to oppose any measures attempting to reintroduce capital punishment to the Bay State. Last week, Rep. Francis Marini (R-Hanson), the Massachusetts House Minority Leader, filed a bill that would allow for the death penalty in certain circumstances.
Although many legislators have said the bill stands little chance of passing, Scott Langley, the Death Penalty Coordinator for the Somerville-Arlington chapter of Amnesty International, said the introduction of the bill is, in itself, discouraging.
“It’s disappointing that it was brought up at all,” he said. “The fact that our state leaders and our governor, who all represent us, support something like the death penalty is very discouraging.”
Langley said the death penalty is a violation of basic human rights.
“The Declaration of Human Rights, which is the document that Amnesty is governed by, states that all people have the right to life, and so obviously the death penalty is the ultimate violation of that.
“If a state chooses to take your life, they’re violating the only thing that is essential to all of us.”
He said the death penalty does not serve to achieve justice.
“To our group, there is no justice in killing someone,” Langley said. “It’s just perpetuating the violence. It’s creating more victims.”
He said capital punishment eliminates the possibility of reform, something he firmly believes in.
“All people should be given a second chance. All people are capable of rehabilitation,” he said. “There’s something ingrained in all of us that is good. The purpose of life is to find what is good in those people and to bring that out.”
Langley said while stiff prison sentences are preferable to the death penalty, they are not the ultimate solution.
“I prefer [stiff sentencing] to killing people, but I think there are roots in the problems of society,” he said. “There are things we need to address first. There are so many factors of what cause people to be criminals in the first place.”
Langley said other states and nation have already addressed problems with the death penalty.
On March 1, 1847, the Michigan Legislature, in its first official action, abolished its death penalty. Now, every year on March 1, International Death Penalty Abolition Day recognizes the anniversary of the action.
“If [Michigan] can do it, then all other states can do it, and Massachusetts can keep the death penalty away as well,” he said. “Today’s a good day for us to localize an international movement.”
Just last year, Illinois Gov. George Ryan placed a moratorium on executions in his state after discovering that since 1977 more death row inmates had been exonerated than executed.
Langley called Ryan’s move wise, but said the governor has more to do.
“It’s not the end at all,” he said “This moratorium, it is one step, but complete abolition is the ideal theme.”
He said he would like to see President George Bush, in a major change of policy, help to eliminate the death penalty. He said he is disappointed that Bush stands up for capital punishment.
“I think everyone should do everything in their power to make sure that no citizens are executed, because the death penalty violates human rights,” he said. “For Bush to allow that to happen in this country is a monstrosity. I think the role of the president should be to defend human rights and to affirm the worth and dignity of all people.”
Langley said college students can play a critical role in the movement to eliminate the death penalty.
“In college you actually have a lot of time and energy. It’s a great environment for inducing social change,” he said. “This whole movement is not purely on the shoulders of college students, but they’re a huge help.”
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