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A plea for mercy for Kermit Gosnell
Life Site ^ | Robert P. George

Posted on 04/18/2013 12:19:07 AM PDT by Morgana

April 17, 2013 (FirstThings.com) - Abortionist Kermit Gosnell is facing the death penalty if he is convicted of the murders for which he is being tried in Philadelphia. Surely, the heinous acts of which he stands accused are depraved. They probably meet the criteria for capital punishment under Pennsylvania law. However, in the event that Gosnell is convicted, which seems likely, I am asking my fellow pro-lifers around the country to join me in requesting that his life be spared.

Someone might make the case for mercy by pointing out that Gosnell merely carried out the logic of the abortion license that is enshrined and protected in our law. One might note that there is no moral difference between dismembering a child inside the womb (which our jurisprudence, alas, treats as a constitutional liberty) and snipping a child’s neck after he or she has emerged from the womb (potentially a capital offense). How can our legal system impose the death penalty on Gosnell, given the arbitrariness and irrationality of the underlying law? Kermit Gosnell

But that is not the fundamental reason for our asking for Gosnell’s life to be spared.

Kermit Gosnell, like every human being, no matter how self-degraded, depraved, and sunk in wickedness, is our brother—a precious human being made in the very image and likeness of God. Our objective should not be his destruction, but the conversion of his heart. Is that impossible for a man who has corrupted his character so thoroughly by his unspeakably evil actions? If there is a God in heaven, then the answer to that question is “no.” There is no one who is beyond repentance and reform; there is no one beyond hope. We should give up on no one.

If our plea for mercy moves the heart of a man who cruelly murdered innocent babies, the angels in heaven will rejoice. But whether it produces that effect or not, we will have shown all who have eyes to see and ears to hear that our pro-life witness is truly a witness of love—love even of our enemies, even of those whose appalling crimes against innocent human beings we must oppose with all our hearts, minds, and strength. In a profoundly compelling way, we will have given testimony to our belief in the sanctity of all human life.

I do not myself believe that the death penalty is ever required or justified as a matter of retributive justice. Many reasonable people of goodwill, including many who are strongly pro-life (and whose pro-life credentials I in no way question), disagree with me about that. But even if the death penalty is justified in a case like Gosnell’s, mercy is nevertheless a legitimate option, especially where our plea for mercy would itself advance the cause of respect for human life by testifying to the power of mercy and love.

I do not expect my request to be met with universal acclaim. Given the horrific nature of the acts of which Gosnell is accused, it is understandable that some, perhaps many or even most, will believe that this is not a case where mercy is appropriate. They will not want to join me. I understand.

However, I ask everyone who reads these words to consider the matter carefully and prayerfully. In 1994, I had the honor of representing Mother Teresa of Calcutta as her Counsel of Record on an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court of the United States asking the justices to reverse Roe v. Wade. In connection with that project, I learned that this was not Mother’s first intervention in American courts. On a number of occasions, she had asked judges to refrain from imposing the death penalty on a defendant convicted in a capital murder case. She did not question the defendants’ guilt, or even the justice of the death penalty. Her plea was always a plea for mercy.

By asking for mercy for Kermit Gosnell, we defenders of human life in all stages and conditions have the opportunity to follow the example of the greatest pro-life witness of the 20th century.

Note: Robert P George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, where he lectures on constitutional interpretation, civil liberties and philosophy of law. He also serves as the director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. This article first appeared at First Things, and is reprinted with permission of the author.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: abortion; gosnell; gosnelltrial; prolife
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While I respect Mr. George's opinion I feel in this case they should hang him at dawn they day after he's found guilty.
1 posted on 04/18/2013 12:19:07 AM PDT by Morgana
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To: Morgana

There’s an old Jewish proverb: “Kindness to the cruel is cruelty to the kind.” Let him reap what he sowed.


2 posted on 04/18/2013 12:25:02 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (You can't have IngSoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: Morgana

It would be merciful to hang him only once.


3 posted on 04/18/2013 12:25:29 AM PDT by meadsjn
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To: Morgana

He didn’t just terminate innocent babies lives, HE ENJOYED IT.


4 posted on 04/18/2013 12:25:42 AM PDT by Obama_Is_Sabotaging_America (PRISON AT BENGHAZI?????)
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To: Slings and Arrows
There’s an old Jewish proverb: “Kindness to the cruel is cruelty to the kind.” Let him reap what he sowed.

Ditto.
5 posted on 04/18/2013 12:26:39 AM PDT by PA Engineer (Liberate America from the Occupation Media.)
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To: Morgana

No.


6 posted on 04/18/2013 12:27:18 AM PDT by Ray76 (Do you reject Obama? And all his works? And all his empty promises?)
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To: Morgana
Frankly, the writer should be ashamed for his plea.

This man is the consummation of evil, and should receive no clemency. If anything, reverting to drawing and quartering might be appropriate in this case.......

7 posted on 04/18/2013 12:28:40 AM PDT by Lakeshark (!)
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To: Morgana

No.


8 posted on 04/18/2013 12:28:41 AM PDT by MestaMachine
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To: Morgana

The pro-life movement is dead wrong, about the death penalty.

Scumbag murderers need to DIE, period.

The difference between this guy and Hitler? Number of victims, that’s all. Hang him. He’s stealing oxygen from decent people.


9 posted on 04/18/2013 12:31:02 AM PDT by Impy (All in favor of Harry Reid meeting Mr. Mayhem?)
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To: Morgana

He deserves death

He can say hi to that bastard Tiller down there

Maybe they can both do for Satan what deceased comedian Bill Hicks suggested for Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer


10 posted on 04/18/2013 12:31:44 AM PDT by wardaddy (wanna know how my kin felt during Reconstruction in Mississippi, you fixin to find out firsthand)
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To: Morgana

Why wait till dawn?

Mr. George makes the same logical mistake as liberals by being unable to make a critical distinction between innocent life and a vile murderer.

Kindness to evil is cruelty to good. We hang murderers to protect the innocent. I see absolutely no reason to make an exception in Dr. Gosnell’s case.

The sight of Dr. Gosnell’s corpse swinging from a gallows will save innumerable babies from the his would be epigones.


11 posted on 04/18/2013 12:32:15 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (Doing the same thing and expecting different results is called software engineering.)
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To: Morgana
Gosnell Worker: Toilets Backed Up With Body Parts From Abortions
12 posted on 04/18/2013 12:34:34 AM PDT by TChad (Call them Oppressives, not Progressives)
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To: Morgana

God is Mercy and Love. Kermit only has to repent of his crimes and turn to Christ. We should certainly pray for that to happen.

I also believe he should be executed. He has committed horrendous crimes and the enormity of his actions calls for capital punishment.

Whether he dies now or in 20 years time is not important compared with his eternal resting place.

Therefore I commend his soul to God. A sentence of death will focus his mind on his imminent fate.


13 posted on 04/18/2013 12:35:19 AM PDT by agere_contra (I once saw a movie where only the police and military had guns. It was called 'Schindler's List'.)
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To: Morgana

He deserves no mercy.

If he had killed 3 year olds...there would be no question.

There is no difference.


14 posted on 04/18/2013 12:36:13 AM PDT by berdie
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To: Morgana
The only problem I have is that he can be killed only once.
I mean that just like it sounds.
One dying ain't enough for his kind.
15 posted on 04/18/2013 12:39:11 AM PDT by The Cajun (Sarah Palin, Mark Levin......Nuff said.)
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To: Morgana

and then hang the writer of this POs article


16 posted on 04/18/2013 12:46:50 AM PDT by advertising guy (clearly, semi automatic high capacity pressure cookers should be banned)
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To: Morgana

I really don’t see a problem with the death penalty here. He’ll have plenty of time to repent and turn to God before we send him up to God for ultimate judgment.


17 posted on 04/18/2013 12:54:17 AM PDT by grateful
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To: Impy

The pro-life movement is dead wrong, about the death penalty.

Had this discussion with my Brother he told me a good Catholic can’t support the death penalty, I told him I would have to satisfied being a so so Catholic because some people just don’t belong on this earth. I agree with you EVIL people need to die! This SOB should go the way he killed the babies, he should have his spinal cord severed at the neck!


18 posted on 04/18/2013 12:56:21 AM PDT by Mastador1 (I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
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To: Morgana

19 posted on 04/18/2013 1:03:46 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (People are idiots.)
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To: Morgana
Kermit Gosnell deserves the same “mercy” he showed to the victims of his practice. In a word — NONE.
20 posted on 04/18/2013 1:18:38 AM PDT by MasterGunner01
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