Opinion

Is the AMA at long last ready to condemn all capital punishment?

LETTER — Posted Oct. 18, 2004

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Regarding "Death penalty for minors: Cruel & unusual" (Editorial, Sept. 27): Could it be that our AMA is ready to abandon its long-time neutral stance on certain divisive issues that are deemed to be nonmedical but that concern our society at large? In particular, I note the AMA position on capital punishment.

Your editorial states: "Our country's continued nod to executing teenagers places us in the company of nations known for their civil rights abuses. That's company we, as Americans, don't want to keep."

Given the fact that the same can be said about the continued use of the death penalty in this country, is it not time for the AMA once and for all to get behind the movement calling for the abolition of capital punishment?

Abraham L. Halpern, MD, Mamaroneck, N.Y.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/10/18/edlt1018.htm.

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