--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The death penalty issue is obviously a…" description: "\"The death penalty issue is obviously a divisive one. But whether one is for or against, you can not deny the basic illogic - if we know the system is f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/richard-lagravenese-13232_abandon_the-death-penalty-issue-is-obviously-a-d_2736563.jpg" --- # The death penalty issue is obviously a divisive one. But… ![“The death penalty issue is obviously a divisive one. But whether one is for or against, you can not deny the basic illogic - if we know the system is flawed, if we know there are innocent people on Death Row, then until the system is reformed, should we not abandon the death penalty to protect…” quote by Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/richard-lagravenese-13232_abandon_the-death-penalty-issue-is-obviously-a-d_2736563.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/richard-lagravenese-13232_abandon_the-death-penalty-issue-is-obviously-a-d_2736563.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/richard-lagravenese-13232_abandon_the-death-penalty-issue-is-obviously-a-d_2736563.jpg) > “The death penalty issue is obviously a divisive one. But whether one is for or against, you can not deny the basic illogic - if we know the system is flawed, if we know there are innocent people on Death Row, then until the system is reformed, should we not abandon the death penalty to protect those who are innocent?” [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If a justice system is flawed and risks executing innocents, it is illogical to continue the death penalty; reform or abolition is necessary to protect the innocent. **In simple terms:** Flawed system should not kill innocents; reform needed. Key Takeaway Advocate for justice reform, protect lives. Themes ethics law justice human rights policy Mood concerned determined hopeful Type activist philosophical When to use this quote - legislative hearings - human rights activism - public policy debates Key Concepts capital punishment legal reform innocence systemic bias Questions to Reflect On - What reforms could ensure fairness? - How can society balance retribution and protection? A Different Perspective Political opposition may resist change despite evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death penalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-penalty/) [Death row](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-row/) [Innocent people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent-people/) [Penalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penalty/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) ## Related quotes > [We've sent 130 men to death row to be executed in this country, at least 130 that we know of, who have later have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/we-ve-sent-130-men-to-death-row-to-be-executed-in-this-country-at/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [In death row every rule in society is flipped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/in-death-row-every-rule-in-society-is-flipped/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [Of all the artists on Death Row, none of them went bankrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suge-knight/of-all-the-artists-on-death-row-none-of-them-went-bankrupt/) [Suge Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suge-knight/) > [I was put on death row because of hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ray-hinton/i-was-put-on-death-row-because-of-hate/) [Anthony Ray Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ray-hinton/) > [I've never been under the illusion that everybody on death row is innocent - far from it. My own guess is upwards of 90…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-turow/i-ve-never-been-under-the-illusion-that-everybody-on-death-row-is/) [Scott Turow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-turow/) > [Power is no blessing in itself, except when it is used to protect the innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/power-is-no-blessing-in-itself-except-when-it-is-used-to-protect-the/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [As in my other works of fiction: All persons living and dead are purely coincidental, and should not be construed. No names have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/as-in-my-other-works-of-fiction-all-persons-living-and-dead-are/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I want to protect innocent people from sin by locking them in cages, where the evil can't get to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-to-protect-innocent-people-from-sin-by-locking-them-in-cages/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've often lied to myself to protect the innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-ve-often-lied-to-myself-to-protect-the-innocent/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [Once we know of atrocities we cannot remain silent, and knowledge inevitably leads to an urge to protect the innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/once-we-know-of-atrocities-we-cannot-remain-silent-and-knowledge/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [When we helped prevent the massacre of civilians trapped on a distant mountain, here's what one of them said: "We owe our American friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-we-helped-prevent-the-massacre-of-civilians-trapped-on-a-distant/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“No names have been changed in order to protect the innocent since God Almighty protects the innocent as a matter of Heavenly routine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/no-names-have-been-changed-in-order-to-protect-the-innocent-since-god/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) > [When I was a prosecutor, we had one straightforward goal: convict the guilty and protect the innocent. To me, that simple mission still holds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-klobuchar/when-i-was-a-prosecutor-we-had-one-straightforward-goal-convict-the/) [Amy Klobuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-klobuchar/) > [The world obviously needs to change ... if we can't protect our innocent women and children, then we have a serious problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/the-world-obviously-needs-to-change-if-we-can-t-protect-our-innocent/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [People who have reformed themselves has contributed their full share towards the reformation of their neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/people-who-have-reformed-themselves-has-contributed-their-full-share/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) ## More by Richard LaGravenese > [I don't want to be a writer where all the characters sound the same. There's a facility in that kind of writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-writer-where-all-the-characters-sound-the-same/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [How do you survive living in a cell knowing you are innocent? Many of those exonerated whom I have met seem to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/how-do-you-survive-living-in-a-cell-knowing-you-are-innocent-many-of/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [If I can make a living as a writer, I can do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/if-i-can-make-a-living-as-a-writer-i-can-do-anything/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [I'm a dramatist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/i-m-a-dramatist/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [Even as a kid, I was more enchanted watching Bette Davis than Errol Flynn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/even-as-a-kid-i-was-more-enchanted-watching-bette-davis-than-errol/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [What I do usually is read the book first, for pleasure, to see if my brain starts connecting with it, as a movie. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/what-i-do-usually-is-read-the-book-first-for-pleasure-to-see-if-my/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [I think musical theater fans - obsessive fans - are very much like Comic Con fans in our personalities. We're very possessive, and we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/i-think-musical-theater-fans-obsessive-fans-are-very-much-like-comic/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [The thing that I love is human behavior - why people do what they do, who they are, and the choices that they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/the-thing-that-i-love-is-human-behavior-why-people-do-what-they-do/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [I'm not really a believer in romantic, happily-ever-after love stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/i-m-not-really-a-believer-in-romantic-happily-ever-after-love-stories/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [There is a musical rhythm to great writing, especially if it's performed correctly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/there-is-a-musical-rhythm-to-great-writing-especially-if-it-s/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [I always thought that if you don't feel the breath in the actors' bodies, you lose all the intimacy and truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/i-always-thought-that-if-you-don-t-feel-the-breath-in-the-actors/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [I've been a teenager. I even feel like I've been a 16-year-old girl. So I have a lot of voices inside my head!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/i-ve-been-a-teenager-i-even-feel-like-i-ve-been-a-16-year-old-girl-so/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [You can take the high moral ground intellectually, but if it ever happens to you personally, I don't know that I could honestly say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/you-can-take-the-high-moral-ground-intellectually-but-if-it-ever/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [I had to audition as an actor, and I got so tired of doing the same monologues over and over, so I started writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/i-had-to-audition-as-an-actor-and-i-got-so-tired-of-doing-the-same/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [Connie Heermann is a Freedom Writer teacher. I believe she represents the best of what dedicated teachers can be because she chose to serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/connie-heermann-is-a-freedom-writer-teacher-i-believe-she-represents/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) [Explore all 51 Richard LaGravenese quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) ## More Abandon quotes > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) Kenan Malik > [The purpose of a spirit filled life is to demonstrate the supernatural power of our living God so that the unsaved multitudes will abandon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-osborn/the-purpose-of-a-spirit-filled-life-is-to-demonstrate-the/) [T.L. Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-osborn/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I would leave at once, but it would be cruel to abandon a lady in a foreign land with a maniac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-would-leave-at-once-but-it-would-be-cruel-to-abandon-a-lady-in-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. You cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/when-we-fall-utterly-something-gathers-us-up-but-our-falling-must-be/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) > [every subjective phenomenon is essentially connected with a single point of view, and it seems inevitable that an objective, physical theory will abandon that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-nagel/every-subjective-phenomenon-is-essentially-connected-with-a-single/) [Thomas Nagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-nagel/) > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Every great thing starts with an idea, followed by a doubt and finally a resolve to abandon or pursue. Victory is a treacherous journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/every-great-thing-starts-with-an-idea-followed-by-a-doubt-and-finally/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Those who have been once intoxicated with power, and have derived any kind of emolument from it, even though but for one year, never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/those-who-have-been-once-intoxicated-with-power-and-have-derived-any/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't give up because things are hard, but work harder, when you think of giving up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/don-t-give-up-because-things-are-hard-but-work-harder-when-you-think/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Sex is not the ultimate high, but the ultimate high hangs out around sex. The ultimate high is the dance with another person, played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/sex-is-not-the-ultimate-high-but-the-ultimate-high-hangs-out-around/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I care so deeply about this matter that I'm willing to take on the legal penalties, to sit in this prison cell, to sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-care-so-deeply-about-this-matter-that-i-m-willing-to-take-on-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I've been to unpretty places with the roles I've played, and I'm attracted to reckless abandon. I like being taken to the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ifans/i-ve-been-to-unpretty-places-with-the-roles-i-ve-played-and-i-m/) [Rhys Ifans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ifans/) Browse all 1,142 Abandon quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The death penalty issue is obviously a divisive one. 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