Communist Party, USA: Resolution on Capital Punishment

Whereas, ending the death penalty is one of the fundamentals of a civilized society and can in no circumstances be set aside. Our concern, therefore, is for all victims of violence, not only the murderer but also those who suffer by his/her act; and,

Whereas, the sanctioning by the state of the taking of human life has a debasing effect on the community and tends to produce the very brutality that it seeks to prevent. We realize that many people are sincerely afraid of the consequences if the death penalty is abolished, but we are convinced that their fears are unjustified; and,

Whereas, a socialist society should abolish the death penalty— not to mention torture.

Whereas, “… it would be difficult, if not altogether impossible, to establish any principle upon which the justice of expediency of capital punishment could be founded in a society glorying in its civilization.” (Karl Marx, New York Daily Tribune, February 18, 1853);

Therefore be it resolved, that we declare our unwavering opposition to capital punishment.

Adopted by the 28th National Convention of the Communist Party, USA, Chicago, IL; July 1-3, 2005.

www.cpusa.org