John Kitzhaber, the democratic governor of Oregon, announced last week that he would halt the execution of a death row inmate scheduled for next month.
He also announced that he would no longer allow executions during his administration. Since voters approved the death penalty in 1984, the state of Oregon has executed just two people but currently has 37 inmates on death row awaiting execution by lethal injection. The governor noted that he regretted allowing the two earlier executions to go forward. In announcing his startling decision, Gov. Kitzhaber stated: “I do not believe they (executions) made us more noble as a society. And I simply cannot participate once again in something I believe to be morally wrong.”
Gov. Kitzhaber along with countless others had become increasingly aware over the last few years that the death penalty is in desperate need of reevaluation by both state and federal government officials. He suggested that the death penalty fails to “meet basic standards of justice.” In recent years, research has suggested that the death penalty is unfairly and inequitably applied to the poor and to minorities.
We commend Gov. Kitzhaber’s courageous action because he clearly put principles above political pressure. His decision does much to highlight the basic defects in the use of the death penalty not only in Oregon but across our nation. We pray and hope that his daring decision will deepen the understanding among Americans that the death penalty lessens us all and the belief among Catholics that the U.S. Bishops have stated: “We cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing.”
We hope and pray that actions of this lone governor in the upper northwest may be a start of healing and reconciliation for victims’ families in their distress and pain. With his bold decision, Gov. Kitzhaber cracked the culture of death so imbedded in our nation; we pray for the day when others will join in totally dislodging it from our nation. Perhaps more governors and civil leaders will begin to hear the echo of Blessed Pope John Paul II’s prophetic words: “I renew the appeal for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary.” May Gov. Kitzhaber’s bold action help that consensus to soon arrive.
