Mike DiSalle, former governor of the State of Ohio called it “temporary Godlike power.” It is the decision of a man to decide if another man will live or be “legally” put to death by the state that he governs. Our new governor, Ted Strickland, could face that decision as the 24th of April approaches and we as a state are scheduled to put to death James Filliaggi by lethal injection for the shooting death of his wife. It is the decision that Pontius Pilate had to face.The Cleveland Plain Dealer asks today, “Put aside the legal and moral arguments over capital punishment in Ohio for a minute.” Not an entirely easy thing to do. After all, the decision to be made is whether we want to become what we hate, to have absolute power of life over another human being and to choose to snuff it out. “Consider instead the decision that a governor faces alone each time he allows an execution to move forward. What must it be like to hold a man’s life in your hands?”
“It is a time for reflection and prayer,” former governor Taft is reported as saying. “If you believe in God, it’s something you have to take extremely seriously.” Mr. Taft oversaw the death of 24 condemned persons in Ohio.
It is even harder and less popular to hold up the pro-life banner when it comes to executions. Emotions run high and even some ardent supporters of life in the womb waver when it comes to the death penalty. It can be politically damaging. Former Ohio governor Celeste who opposed capitol punishment commuted the sentences of eight inmates on Ohio’s death row before leaving office in 1991 creating great controversy. That takes courage. Do we have that kind of fortitude to stick by our convictions?
Further in the paper is more news coming out of the governor’s office. Governor Strickland has stripped the funding for abstinence education because, “Quite frankly, I don’t believe that abstinence-only education programs work in the long run. There is evidence that they may delay the onset of sexual activity, but over the long term there’s not data there that show they prevent, in a statistical sense, sexual activity outside of ma
rriage.”This despite statewide statistics that show, “teen pregnancy rates have dropped from 42.3 pregnancies for every 1,000 females ages 10 to 19 in 1997 to 33.1 in 2005.” Do you ever feel, as a Catholic, like a political orphan?
“We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common . . .” Preamble to the 1852 constitution of the state of Ohio.
“With God, all things are possible.” State motto.
These are not concerns for Ohio alone. Many people face them. This is what this man feels called to do. What do you feel called to do?
4 comments:
you say..
These are not concerns for Ohio alone. Many people face them. This is what this man feels called to do. What do you feel called to do?
I SAY!!!!!?
SOME ONE OUGHT TO SLAP HIS FACE. [ THAT WOULD BE A DOSE OF REALITY FOR ONLY A MOMENT].
NOTHING LIKE CUTTING OUT EDUCATION AMD REPLACEING IT WITH MYTH BASED IN RELGION OF COURSE. MAN IS WIERD. HE CANOOT EVEN CREATE A WORM. YET HE CREATES MANY GODS ALL ROLLED UP INTO ONE, AND PASSES THE " BUCK" SO THERE IS NO GUILT.
WHY-O WHY-O DO PEOPLE LEAVE OHIO??
THEY ARE [ JUST MAYBE] TIRED OF THE IGNORENCE AND DARK AGES MENTALITY DISPLAYED BY THIER LEADERS .. THAT MIGHT BE AS GOOD AN ANSWER AS ANY. [ BUT WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THE MIDWEST??? INTELLGENCE???.
-Do you ever feel, as a Catholic, like a political orphan?-
Yup.
Sattvicwarrior.
Yes I do expect intellengence. Rememeber the last line of the song which you quoted (I can't believe anyone else knows the song) is "Maybe I better go home."
;>)
dude. you say.
Yes I do expect intellengence.
I SAY. AND THE "SOURCE" OF THIS INTELLGENCE IS BASED IN WHAT ??AND WHERE??.
"EXTERNALLY" [dogmas and ideas] IS NOTHING MORE THAN AN INTELLECTUALIZATION , BUT WHEN IT COMES FROM THE " DIVINE" SOURCE WITHIN. WHICH IS EXPERIENCE, I BELEIVE THAT PERHAPS WOULD BETTER BE DEFINED AS INTELLIGENCE. . BUT YOU DIDNT ESTABLISH THAT PREMIS .....BUT DONT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.. EXPERIENCE IT YOURSELF
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