Death Penalty and Abortion

In response to Conrad’s cartoon regarding the “supposed” inconsistency of an individual who is both pro-life and pro-capital punishment (Jan. 26), as one such individual, it seems apparent to me that the entire debate surrounds one single issue--responsibility.

An individual who is convicted of killing another human being and is sentenced to death must accept the consequences of his behavior. He made the decision before committing the crime and must not be allowed to shirk all responsibility for his actions.

In a similar way, before a man and a woman engage in sexual intercourse they know there is a chance that the woman might become impregnated. Yet abortion is so often used as a way of avoiding responsibility.

Yes, there is a major difference--an individual who commits murder had a choice, babies in the womb have none. They should be given the right to choose and nobody has the right to decide for them.

BRETT BARBRE

Yorba Linda