Home - About Us - Newsletter - Legal Corner - Learning - Resources - Commentary - Film - Lucasville

Referendum to End the Death Penalty in Ohio
Letter to 195 Prisoners on Ohio's Death Row
Kunta Kenyatta & Laurie Hoover, Prisonersolidarity.org
April 14, 2007

Greetings, once again, to those of you who the state of Ohio has condemned to death! The anti-death penalty forces on the outside are locked in debate as to what is the best way for us to move forward in our fight to put an end to the death penalty in this state, the governor Ted Strickland has already stated publicly that he is not considering a moratorium on the death penalty or clemency for the upcoming executions, which leaves the conservative factions of the anti-death penalty struggle with only more candlelight vigils as an option, being that begging the politicians has not been successful.

However, the more progressive anti-death penalty forces would very much like to push a state wide referendum that would allow the Ohio voters themselves to outlaw state-sponsored murder in Ohio, without depending on the politicians. Referendums are not easy but this is the same method that Ohio voters just recently used to ban smoking in public places in Ohio, as well as, raise the minimum wage in this state, and unlike any of our previous activities, a referendum, if successful would effectively eliminate the death penalty in Ohio.

If we were to move forward with the referendum we would still continue with our usual anti-death penalty activities like conferences, speaking tours, rallies and even vigils, but these activities will be used to build support for the referendum. Just to get a referendum on the ballot, we are going to need 1/3 of the voters in 44 of Ohio's 88 counties to sign one of our petitions, which is a monumental task, then it will be an uphill battle from there. But, with close to two hundred people on death row from allover the state, with their supporters and a host of anti-death penalty organizations, this is something that can be done!

In Struggle and Solidarity!

--
Kunta Kenyatta and Laurie Hoover
CURE-Ohio
P.O. Box 14222
Columbus, Ohio 43214

Kunta Kenyatta and Laurie Hoover are board members of CURE-Ohio and have recently joined the Prisonersolidarity.org editorial team. They would appreciate receiving your comments, in letters written to the above address.

Read two responses to this letter:
James Conway, Support Education And Not Death Row
Alva E. Campbell, Letter in Support of a Referendum

If you'd like to contribute letters, articles, artwork, or educational materials to this website, please contact us at:

Prisonersolidarity.org
P.O. Box 422
The Plains, OH 45780
OR submit your guest column to:
prisonersolidarity-owner@yahoogroups.com