Dr. J. is headed into the wilderness with the Lil Resident and her Jedi Academy classmates.

Yeah, we’re going up Spook Hill…

While he’s away, please read this Washington Post editorial in which Ashley McGuire of The Catholic Association makes the case for passing on the death penalty for Dr. Gosnell:

Our Constitution may permit the death penalty, but our hearts should resist it. And in our modern world, where the human heart is so coarsened against the dignity and value of all human life, there is actually much good that can come of sparing the life of a criminal and causing him instead to live the rest of his life in penance for his crimes. Blessed Pope John Paul frequently made the case against the death penalty, arguing that the world had developed in such a way that, “society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals the chance to reform.”

Professor Robert George has her back on this one as well:

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.

Now Dr. J.’s nominally against the death penalty. The idea of snuffing out a life rubs him the wrong way, and while all his liberal friends assume he’s pro-death penalty, he’d trade it away for an end to the scourge of abortion. He’s fine with life without parole for horrible crimes. And when folks ask, ‘what if it was teh Lil Rezundtz who was murdered, huh??!!?” Dr. J. says he’d probably want the perp dead, but that doesn’t make it right, just that it shows Dr. J. to be human and like all people, fallen and imperfect.

Puter will probably have some wit and wisdom to add regarding this topic.

Quiz will be on Monday after we return.

Dr. J.