Abortion and Capitol Punishment

I have had people ask me how I can be against abortion yet for capital punishment. In fact, I was asked this question just this morning by my dear friend. I am always perplexed by the question because each issue is so vastly different and incomparable in all contexts. It is like asking how can you like ice cream but not like meat loaf.

The ONLY similarity in the case of abortion and capitol punishment is both are ending a life. When asked the question of how can I support one and not the other, it appears to me that the person is looking at each life, the life of the murderer and the life of a baby as the same. They are not. They are not the same in any way, shape or form.

The life of the baby has just begun. This baby has not sinned against anyone in any way. It is completely and totally innocent. There are those who would argue that a fetus is not a life. I disagree completely and this is another argument all together. I am writing this under the belief system that an embryo/fetus is a life. If you disagree with this premise then you should read no further.

Because this baby has sinned against no one and is a life, it should be protected and preserved at all costs. It should not be ended on the decision of one person (or one million for that matter). Our rule of law considers the taking of a life (without just cause) "Murder". Our law does provide for the necessity of taking a life "with cause" under certain circumstance IE. self defense.

An adult who has committed murder is another case entirely. This person has performed a grievous and heinous act against another human being without cause or justification. The baby did not. This person had choices in how he/she lived life. The baby did not. This person was convicted by a jury of his/her peers, 12 people. The baby did not get this benefit. This person crime is also subject to numerous appeals in his/her conviction and sentencing. The baby has no such benefit on his/her sentence.

So how can a person in any way look at the lives of these two people and compare them? The murderer committed an act, taking the life of another human being, is convicted, sentence by 12 people and then benefits from an exhaustive appeals process to eliminate any error before put to death. A baby,innocent of any wrong doing, is sentenced to death by one lone decision maker with no appeals process.

There simply is no comparison of these two individuals. One deserves to die for the evil acts committed while the other does not deserve to die but a chance to live a full and complete life.