Tag: abolish death penalty

Spokane author Victoria Ann Thorpe, and a small group of supporters, began a 185-mile “Peace Journey” across the state Tuesday night — hoping their steps will lead to the end of the death penalty in Washington.

Beginning Sept. 3 Spokane resident Victoria Thorpe will lead an 18 and-a-half-day walk across the state to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty.

"Its purpose is to draw attention to the failure of the death penalty system; not only on the factual level, but as a tool designed to preserve our humanity it has only taken us further away," she said in a letter.

On June 5, at St. John’s Cathedral, five faiths were represented from a panel focusing on this specific question: Should Washington State abolish the death penalty?

This was a forum specially organized to address the issue from religious perspectives.

An interfaith panel slated for June 5 will explore why the death penalty should be repealed in Washington.

"Honoring Life: A Compassionate Discussion on the Death Penalty" will include five speakers from different faiths, who will discuss why they believe capital punishment is unacceptable for a compassionate, civilized people, according to event organizer Victoria Thorpe.

The pumping sounds repeated over and over through a reggae tune on my car stereo, “I’m a Human being y’al!” hit me hard since I had just left the visitors’ room for the death row residents in the Washington State Penitentiary. Michael Franti’s song, A Little Bit of Riddim, was washing over my ears as I drove out of Walla Walla. It was my initial visit to the small city of Walla Walla, Washington State Penitentiary, and my first time to meet the man on the other side of the glass partition.