June Share the Plate - Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (TADP)

Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty works to honor life by abolishing the death penalty. They seek to achieve this goal through educating and organizing citizens to act for change in our state. TADP empowers surviving families of murder victims, death row exonerees, families of those on death row, racial justice advocates, faith communities, and other partners to educate Tennesseans about the failures of the death penalty system and why Tennessee should end the practice.

“Given our nation’s history of genocide, slavery, and inequitable life outcomes based on race as well as the role race has played historically and continues to play in the death penalty system, we believe it is imperative that we incorporate a racial equity lens and bring a commitment to racial justice into our work to end the death penalty.” (TADP)

Our support for TADP is guided by our UU Principles. Beginning in 1966, the UUA has passed numerous general resolutions, statements of conscience, and actions of immediate witness against the death penalty over the years. 

A 2005 UUA statement of conscience says, “One of the most shameful aspects of our current criminal justice system is the death penalty…. Studies fail to demonstrate that the death penalty actually deters crime…. Experience shows that judges and juries wrongly convict defendants. Given the number of death row inmates released on account of innocence, it is highly likely that we have executed innocent people and will do so again in the future unless we abolish the death penalty.” This statement of conscience cites our first two Principles as guiding our work for a new corrections policy, including the abolition of the death penalty.  

Please give generously in June 2021. There are alternatives to the death penalty, for example, life without the possibility of parole, for extreme cases. The death penalty is unjust and barbaric.