It’s not a new argument, and we’ve most recently seen Linda Sarsour resurrect it after Alabama’s governor signed the state’s new Human Rights Protection Act; how can you claim to be pro-life if you’re also pro-death penalty?
Plenty stepped up to give her the correct answer to that question, plus, she also learned that a lot of conservatives oppose the death penalty. What she’ll never answer, though, is the antithesis to her own question: how can you oppose the death penalty but be pro-abortion?
A lot of news outlets shared their hot takes on the governor presiding over an execution so soon after signing an anti-abortion bill into law. Here’s the Los Angeles Times’ take, for one:
"Apparently, Ivey’s not averse to returning some of God’s sacred gifts, since as governor she’s overseeing the planned execution tonight of Michael Brandon Samra," writes Scott Martelle for @latimesopinion https://t.co/eh8Enkat2S
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 17, 2019
On Saturday, Jake Tapper stepped in to give a little bit more detail about the prisoner who was executed and why:
Seeing tweets about how Alabama executed a prisoner within 24 hours of its new abortion ban. I get why this is getting attention, but I'd just like to take a moment here to tell you about why Michael Brandon Samra was executed.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 18, 2019
2/ In 1997, at age 19, Samra and his friend, Mark Duke, shot Duke’s father Randy, and the father’s girlfriend Dedra Mims Hunt. This was over a dispute they were having with Randy over a pickup truck. pic.twitter.com/H4dkBg34UL
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 18, 2019
3/ Out of bullets, Samra and Duke then slit the throats of Hunt's daughters Chelsea, 7, and Chelisa, 6, below, to hide their crimes.
That's Chelisa and Debra Hunt below, then a photo of Chelsea. pic.twitter.com/a9eZmlrhdI
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 18, 2019
4/ Duke was 16 at the time so the death penalty was off the table. Samra appealed his conviction, asserting his rights had been violated. Here's the ruling:https://t.co/5HeCsvHUP1
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 18, 2019
5/ Regardless of your feelings about the death penalty or abortion, or Alabama, I thought some facts about the case and a moment for the victims was worth 5 tweets.
Here's more from https://t.co/zHaN53M7vs. Peace.https://t.co/M8wxmuBZrS
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 18, 2019
“I thought some facts about the case and a moment for the victims was worth 5 tweets.”
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 18, 2019
How is it you’ve risen so high in the ranks without understanding how damn obtuse tweeting something like this is. Like… really dude?
— Justin McLachlan (@justinmclachlan) May 18, 2019
He’s honoring the victims. Everyone is using the execution to try and expose hypocrisy which is their right, but if this example is going to be used, at least remember who was impacted. And I’m anti death penalty
— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) May 18, 2019
Same.
— Mary Elizabeth (@mchastain81) May 18, 2019
This is a brave thread for u to post
— Perfesser Getz (@nealgetz) May 18, 2019
You were right to post this info.
— Robert Fortin (@PoetRobert143) May 18, 2019
Nice work.
— Against The Voices (@voices365) May 18, 2019
Thanks, Jake.
— Blue away (@RealYeshua1) May 18, 2019
Thanks, Jake, for stirring things up again. He left things up in the air just enough to rekindle the debate over abortion and the death penalty.
— Halo Zero (@HaloZero4) May 18, 2019
This still goes against what Cherry Picking Bible Thumpers claim to be all about.
— nathan grant (@granto429) May 18, 2019
No need to cherry pick. Execution for murder and the fact that life begins in the womb are completely and unambiguously clear in the Bible. Failure to see a distinction is a failure to understand guilt and innocence.
— Nate Ardle (@NateArdle) May 18, 2019
It took over 20 years to finally execute Samra. That's 20 too long.
— Phix (@PhixArt) May 18, 2019
Human sacrifice will not bring those angels back Mr. Tapper. It is equally vicious and unfaithful to give the state the power of life and death.
— Xomfort™ (@Xomfort) May 18, 2019
The death penalty affirms and values life. People can still not support it, but the rationale for it is morally sound and not at all contradictory to being anti abortion. https://t.co/Ly73x7SQVr
— David Edward ? (@_David_Edward) May 18, 2019
This all day long.
— Colonel Texas Outlaw (@col_potter94) May 18, 2019
Again, I totally understand people still being against it. It's the people saying that it's hypocritical that burn me. They expose the fact that they can't think critically about complex issues.
— David Edward ? (@_David_Edward) May 18, 2019
The even bigger news story though was that these guys were denied voting rights right up until their execution
— Erich Schellhas (@erichschellhas) May 18, 2019
Tell that to Bernie Sanders.
What’s your point I might ask?
— Rose-Marie Holt ✌️??✊ (@Rose_Marie_Holt) May 18, 2019
— Jason Porter (@Fitz_Farseer) May 18, 2019
Thanks for the facts!
Even though my desire for revenge tells me the death penalty is a form of justice served, I am anti-death penalty because sometimes the justice system makes mistakes, and our government should not be in the perverse business of executing people.
— helchose (@helchose) May 18, 2019
Jake it was horrendous murder, I struggle with people who preach about the sanctity of the cells dividing in a human uterus but think nothing of snuffing out the life of a living breathing human who could have lived out his life repenting for his sins.
— Charlie’s Mom (@GauthierSuellen) May 18, 2019
You cannot have it both ways. Pro-life means pro ALL human life. l'll believe you are anti-abortion but you cannot be pro-life and for the death penalty.
— Mary Murphy (@macmurph) May 18, 2019
He earned the penalty he received.
But it does seem to be hypocritical of the GOP.
— Shaun Du Fosee (@raidershaun) May 18, 2019
I get it jake: they executed a vile human being and I won't shed any tears for him. But the hypocrisy of being pro-life whilst simultaneously ruining some women's lives and executing actual human beings is stunning.
— Ian Hopkins (@ihoplad) May 18, 2019
Why? What did the unborn baby do?
Regardless of which side of this debate people fall on, to equate the deaths of an unborn child in the womb who had no say in being conceived or being aborted, to a guy that made the choice to participate in brutally killing 4 people, 2 of which were children, is not a good look.
— Lois Cayce (@LBC1983) May 18, 2019
So what do people like Sarsour say to conservatives who are both pro-life and anti-death penalty?
Related:
You too can help Linda Sarsour understand the difference between abortion and the death penalty https://t.co/f3YzALTgeV
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 15, 2019