COALITION OF ARIZONANS TO ABOLISH THE
DEATH PENALTY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Bob Schwartz or the CAADP steering committee at (520) 838-1721
Sister Helen Prejean to make rare Tucson appearance Feb. 19
At a time when more Americans than ever are questioning the ethics and effectiveness of capital punishment, The Coalition of Arizonans to Abolish the Death Penalty is proud to bring one of the nation’s foremost and respected advocates for the abolition of the death penalty, Sister Helen Prejean, to Tucson for a rare appearance.
Sister Helen Prejean will be the featured speaker Feb. 19 at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. The program, which runs from 1 to 2:30 p.m., is open to the public and costs $10 in advance through azabolitionist.org or at the door.
The program will be followed by a short New Orleans-style procession downtown, which is free and open to the public.
Sister Helen will also be the Coalition’s special guest at a special, ticketed meet and greet at 3 p.m. Tickets are $100 in advance.
“I never met Dr. Martin Luther King,” said Bob Schwartz, president of CAADP. “I never met Mother Theresa. Of course, I never had the chance. I have met Sister Helen Prejean, and no one who cares about human rights and human dignity should pass up a chance to meet her.
“Naturally, Sister Helen would reject the comparisons made above. She is merely true to her calling. But, in my mind, and with our help, I believe that her calling one day will be recognized with a Nobel Peace Prize. She inspires me to follow her lead as we work toward universal abolition of capital punishment,” Schwartz said.
“Some leaders are bold. Some leaders are humble. In either case, there is no denying the leadership. Please join me as CAADP welcomes one of the most recognizable leaders of the death penalty abolition movement to Tucson.”
For more information on the Feb. 19 event or CAADP, call 838-1721 or log on to www.azabolitionist.org.
CAADP invites the media to cover the Feb. 19 event. To make arrangements or to schedule an advance interview with Sister Helen or Bob Schwartz, please call 838-1721.
About Sister Helen Prejean
Sister Helen is best known for her Pulitzer Prize-nominated book, “Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States,” which recounts her prison ministry that led to her introduction to capital punishment through her friendship with death-row inmate Patrick Sonnier. The book became a hit movie starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. Sister Helen also is the author of “The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions.”
About the Coalition of Arizonans to Abolish the Death Penalty
The Coalition of Arizonans to Abolish the Death Penalty is a group of organizations and individuals pledged to end the death penalty in Arizona. Among us are those who oppose the death penalty for spiritual, ethical, and practical reasons and who may choose variously to work for its abolition through prayer, self- and public education, dialogues, constitutional recourse, and public action. We affirm the dignity and rights of victims and the right of communities to live in safety and harmony. We believe that the death penalty, by implicitly condoning killing, subverts these rights and contributes to a pervasive climate of violence. The taking of human life is abhorrent and unacceptable to us; it assails each of us individually and diminishes us as a people. When the state takes a life, we are profoundly affected. We become participants in what we abhor. Moreover, we know that, being human, we are not above error. We would not commit irrevocable error. Our sense of shared humanity, our commitment to the creative and transforming spirit that links us, and our knowledge of our own fallibility call out for us to discover and use alternatives to capital punishment. In pursuit of our common goal, we commit ourselves to nonviolence, civility of discourse, respect for those who hold opposite opinions, and faithful and persistent witness.
For current information on capital punishment, please visit the Death Penalty Information Center, http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org
