The Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Think about this: Without life, there is no liberty and without liberty, happiness is not fulfilled. Christ said in John 10:10, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Deuteronomy 30:19 says, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live.” No matter race, religion, nationality, social status, or anything else, LIFE is the most common right we share as humans.
When life is not honored as the most precious and valued treasure of humanity, justice truly falls in the streets and truth is hidden beneath the chains of society’s testimony. It is upon all of us. No excuse. You can talk politics. You can talk law. You can debate the past, the present and the future. Life, all life, has value. This constant will never change. Sadly, there are people on earth who do not respect that value because of the biases and prejudices they carry. While they may believe their load is light because they have it all settled in their hearts and minds, they burden the rest of society with a millstone consisting of dark shadows, uncertainties and oppression.
Let me speak in very plain English: The unnecessary and senseless taking of a life undermines civil society and it is an abhorrence to the Christian faith. All of us should be defenders of life because it is what we share in common as humans as created and ordained by God himself. Assigning some form of guilt or defamation of character is no justification for brutal treatment or the unnecessary taking of a life. If one is entrusted with the authority to protect and defend society, it is also a responsibility to protect even the lives of those who are violating the laws and rules, so long as they are not a direct threat to life. A most sacred principle in the US criminal justice system is that a defendant is innocent until proven guilty.
How is it then that the death sentence can be executed without trial or even due process? Where is equal protection under the law if those who are charged with upholding the law, violate its most sacred principle? Many will read this and automatically think I am against law enforcement or support the violence that is taking place. Don’t be ignorant. I am saying that life should be preserved with every reasonable effort. If you were in the same shoes as those who recently have been killed, you wouldn’t think it right if someone laid a knee to your neck; hunted you down in the street and provoked you to death; or busted down the door of your apartment at night and shot you eight times when you did nothing wrong. There is no ”Yeah, but” on this. Life is precious. Our laws as a nation, and the directives of God require it. Equally.
